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A compartive study of the Jivandhara Story..
making Kantaruvatattai, his chief queen, are mentioned in the Ilakkaniayar ilampakam. These incidents are narrated in the Up. in only three verses.1 Tēvar describes these incidents in great detail. These provide him with more opportunities to describe the various things necessary for a mahäkävya (peruňkäppiyam). In the three verses of the Up., the coronation of Jivandhara, his marriage with Ratnavati, the crowning of Gandharvadatta as his chief queen, his union with his mother, foster-mother and wives, his attainment of universal sovereignty, and his enjoyment of pleasures are mentioned.
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The differences found in the Up. and the Cc.
The following incidents which are found in the Ilakkanaiyar ilampakam of the Cc. are not narrated in the Up. :
(i) Civakan's visit to the temple of Arhat after his marriage with Ilakkanai
(ii) Civaka donating gold pieces to the temple.
(iii) Civakan honouring his foster parents, his brothers, friends, his uncle and other kings.
(iv) Civakan asking the dramatists to write the story of Cutañcana as a drama in order to honour him,
(v) Civakan honouring the banyan tree under which he played when he was a small boy.
(vi) Civaka uniting with Técikappävai who came with a letter pretending to be a friend of Abankamalai.
13. Mutti ilampakam
According to the Up., once when Jivandhara was walking in the park Suramalaya he met the ascetic Vardhamana and accepted his commandments and became. adherent to the Jaina faith. His brother Nandadhya did the same. Another day Jivandhara saw a group of monkeys fighting among themselves. This scene created in him disgust for the world. In the same forest he met a wandering ascetic called Prajastavanka and this ascetic told him about his previous birth as he had heard it already from the celestial (khecara). After this incident he visited the lord of the Jinas (Mahavira), who had arrived in the park Suramalaya. Following this he gave his kingdom to his son Vasundhara, the son born of Gandharvadatts, and renounced the world. His uncle, the other princes, his mother and his wives also renounced the world with him. Having heard all these stories, the king Śrenika saluted Jivandhara and praised his glory.
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Variation found in the story of the Cc.
(i) According to the Up. Jivandhara met the ascetic Vardhamana and listened to his religious teachings before the incident in which he saw the monkeys fighting. This
1 Up. loc. cit. vv. 670-673.
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