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THE KIDNAPING OF SĪTĀ
239 bad the dwelling places of the monks dug up everywhere. He saw various weapons and was in deep despair. Without reflection the king instructed Pälaka: 'You were wellinformed, minister. I am furnished with eyes by you. You yourself know what is suitable to do to this scoundrel. Do that. Do not ask me again, noble sir.'
So instructed, Pālaka had a machine made quickly and crushed the sādhus one by one before Skandaka. Even while they were being crushed Skandaka himself had them perform the right emancipation-rites accompanied by a sermon. When the youngest muni in the retinue was led to the machine, from compassion Skandakicárya said to ,Palaka, 'Crush me first. Do this request af mine, that I may not see the young muni being crushed.' Knowing that Skandaka would suffer from his crushing, Pålaka had the boy-muni crushed to pain him. All became omniscient and attained an eternal abode. But Skandaka rejected that and made a nidāna: “May I be the means of destroying Daņdaka and Palaka and their families and kingdoms, if there is fruit of penance.' Having made this nidāna, he was crushed by Pälaka, and he became a god, a Vahnikumāra, like the fire at the end of the world for their destruction. A bird seized his broom 169 which was made from the thread of a choice blanket given by Purandarayaśas and which was soaked with blood. Though it had been seized really with an effort with the idea that it was an arm, it fell by chance in front of Queen Purandarayaśas. Then she knew the destruction of her brother, the great sage. "What crime have you committed, wretch?' she reviled Daņdaka. The messengerdeity täfted her up, while she was immersed in grief, and took hier to Munisuvrata; and she became a mendicant. The Agnikumāra, Skandaka, knowing his former birth by clairvoyance, burned King Daņdaka with Pälaka and the people of the city. From that time this cruel,
160 365. The broom made of wool which the monks carry. 16
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