Trishasti Shalaka Purusa Caritra Part 6

Author(s): Hemchandracharya, Helen M Johnson
Publisher: Oriental Research Institute Vadodra

Page 221

CELAŅĀ'S PALACE, DURGANDHĀ, ĀRDRAKUMĀRA 181 master's son.
He told Ardrakakumāra Abhaya's message. Then he opened the basket in secret. He saw inside it Ādinātha's statue creating light in darkness as if it had been wrought of light. He thought: “ What is this? Is it some fine ornament for the person? Should it be put on the head, the neck, the breast, or somewhere else? This looks to me like something seen before somewhere, but it does not reach the path of memory, like a treatise in the case of a person of little diligence.”
While Ārdrakakumāra was reflecting seriously to this effect, a very deep swoon, the mother of recollection of former births, took place. He, with the recollection of former births having been produced, consciousness being regained by himself alone, reflected on his own story of former births.
“In the next to the last birth from this, I was a householder, named Sāmāyika in Vasantapura in the country of Magadha. I had a wife, Bandhumati, and with her I listened duly to the dharma of the Arhats in the presence of Susthita Ācārya. After I had listened with my wife to dharma, I was enlightened in his presence. Disgusted with householding, I became a mendicant.
Wandering with my guru, I went to a certain town and Bandhumati went there too, belonging to a group of sādhvis. Seeing her one day and remembering former pleasures, I became infatuated with her and told another sādhu about it. He told the head-sādhvi and she in turn told Bandhumati. Depressed, Bandhumati said to the head-sādhvi: 'What condition of existence would there be if he, though an ascetic, should cross the bounds of propriety? Even the ocean, observing the boundary, does not violate the earth. So long as he hears of me, even though I went to another country, he, though having strong resolution, will not give up his love for me. Therefore, blessed lady, I shall surely resort to death, so that breaking the vow may not happen either on his part or mine,