Book Title: Trishasti Shalaka Purusa Caritra Part 5
Author(s): Hemchandracharya, Helen M Johnson
Publisher: Oriental Research Institute Vadodra

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Page 439
________________ . 408 CHAPTER FOUR “ After bearing a son, she noble, will become a mendicant." Mțgānkalekhā rejoiced at hearing that, but did not tell anyone. Dhanapati asked for Candralekhā, the daughter of Vasunanda, a sheth of Nāgapurī, for his son and he gave her. On an auspicious day at an auspicious hour the wedding of Bandhudatta and Candralekhā took place with a great festival. Candralekhā, whose hand had just been marked with the wedding-ribbon in the afternoon, was bitten by a snake at night and died. In the same way six wives of his, just married, died on the same day as the wedding from the maturing of karma. “ Bandhudatta has a poison-hand.” Then, though asking, he did not obtain another maiden even with much money. He thought, “What is the use of money to me deprived of a wife," and wasted away day by day, like the moon of the dark half. Dhanapati thought, " My son, grieved, will die. I shall put him in business to make him forget his grief.” After this decision, the sheth instructed Bhanudatta,“ Son, go to the Sinhalas or somewhere else to trade.” At his father's command Bandhudatta took much goods, embarked on a boat, crossed the ocean, and went to the Sinhalas. He pleased the lord of Sinhala with valuable gifts; and he exempted him from customs and dismissed him with favor. After selling his goods there and making the desired profit, he bought goods in exchange and started for his own city. When he, going by sea, had come near his own country, his ship, rocked by a storm, was wrecked. He got hold of a wooden plank by the favor of Fate and reached Ratnadvipa, the ornament of the sea-coast. karena memang bang After landing and bathing in a tank in a grove of mangoes bearing fruit, he ate the sweet mangoes, an herb for the disease of hunger. Taking fruit along the road in this way, he went to Mt. Ratna, climbed it and saw a jeweled shrine. He entered the shrine of Ariștanemi there, paid homage to the image in it and to the munis living there. He was questioned about news about himself first by the eldest muni; and gradually he told about the death of his wives, the wreck of his ship, et cetera, Jain Education International For Private & Personal Use Only www.jainelibrary.org

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