________________
136
looked like a fault. Soon enough, the king sought an opportunity to declare Kanakamañjari as his principal queen and invested her with a crown.
Thus the time went by and one day the king and Kanakamañjari got themselves initiated as lay devotees from a muni called Vimalacandra.
In course of time Kanakamañjari died and became a goddess in heaven. After her period of life there came to an end, she was born as the daughter of Dadhasatti (Drdhasakti), king of the Vidyādharas on mount Vaitādhya in the city of Toranapura. During this life time her name was Kanakamālā. When she grew to be a charming young woman, she was abducted by a Vidyādhara named Vāsava, who was much ravished by her beauty. He created by his magic a palace on the mountain for her to live in and Kanakamálä said that he also constructed a balcony there for a nuptial ceremony since he was very keen on marrying her there only.
Kanakamālā's eldest brother Kanayateya (Kanakatejas) came there and was furious with the Vidyādhara who had kidnapped his sister. A fierce fight ensued in which both of them died and Kanakamālā continued to stay in the palace with all her distress.
One of these days, a god named Vänavyantara arrived there and spoke to Kanakamālā with tender affection. He claimed that she was his daughter and he was her father but before Kanakamālā could question him, the Vidyadhara Drdhasakti came there. Hewas on a search for his son and daughter. Through a magical trick Vānavyantara transformed Kanakamālā into a dead body and Drdhasakti saw three dead bodies -- one of his daughter, the other of his son and the third of Vāsava. The king imagined that Vasava must have struck Kanakamālā the fatal blow before he was killed by Kanakatejas. He was overwhelmed by the enormity of suffering and sorrow that life in this world meant. Wisdom lay in realising the true nature of things. He therefore conceived great discontent with the world and decided to become a wandering ascetic.
Vānayyantara withdrew his magic and Kanakamālā appeared before Drdhasakti as his living daughter and respectfully greeted
Jain Education International
For Private & Personal Use Only
www.jainelibrary.org
