Stories From Jainism

Author(s): Mrugendramuni
Publisher: Jain Yoga Foundation

Page 77

But Metarya was able to fulfil the condition and won the king's daughter. The marriage took place and people who had left the marriage hall a few years back at the earlier nuptials of Metarya gladly flocked to the hall with their daughters. Metarya was married to all their daughters in due
course.
Metarya began to enjoy his new life. There was no untouchability to hinder him. And yet after a few days he realised that all this was meaningless. His changed life seemed to him meaningless. He dreamt of another world. He wanted the joy of the eternal self.
He again left his house not to seek respect of the people but to get eternal bliss. He embraced monkhood.
One day Metarya was seen on the royal road of the city with a begging bowl in his hand. A certain goldsmith was making golden beads. But as soon as he saw the Sadhu, he left his work and went into the house to get alms for Metarya.
Unfortunately, a bird came hopping and flew away with the beads in its beak to the nearby wall. The goldsmith returned with the alms.
He saw his beads gone and then he looked at the Sadhu standing there. The goldsmith asked, “Has anybody come here?" The bird was still sitting on the old wall. But Metarya kept mum and said nothing. He feared that the bird would be killed in order to recover the lost beads. So he remained silent, when asked again about the beads.
The goldsmith thought that Metarya had stolen his beads. So he decided to punish him. He took a strip of hide, dipped
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