________________
362
THE WAY OF LIFE
of glory. Because the temple was there, many women of the city came to her palace, every day. The worship of the Paramatma and other devotional activities used to go on even late into the night, in Lakshmivati's palace. Queen Lakshmivathi's fame kept increasing in the city. Kanakodari was burning with jealousy. She could not bear to hear Lakshmivathi praised. She could not tolerate Lakshmivati's happiness and well-being. She thought of a plan to destroy Lakshmivati's happiness. She entertained a low and ignoble idea. She confided her secret plan in an attendant, in whom she had faith. The attendant agreed to act according to her plan.
She told her to steal the idol of the Lord from the temple, in the palace of Lakshmivati and to throw it in a place where no one could find it. Kanakodari thought, "So many women gather in the palace of Lakshmivati and spend time in gaiety only because of the temple. The temple will attract people only as long as the idol is there in it.. The temple will not have any sanctity or importance if the idol is taken away from there. Then, no one would come to her palace".
"So many women gather in Lakshmivathi's palace and so much gaiety goes on there, but no one comes to my palace. People praise Lakshmivati SO much but no one praises me!" These thoughts prompted by jealousy were burning her heart. So, one day, she sent her attendant to steal the idol from the palace of Lakshmivati and to bury it in a dung-heap outside the city. Accordingly, the attendant stole the idol from the temple and buried that sacred idol in the dung-heap outside the city.
But there, by chance, she met a Sadhvi. The Sadhvi was in her religious wanderings; and she came there unexpectedly. She saw in the eyes of the attendant great fear and apprehension. The Sadhvi thought, "She must have done some evil action". From a distance, she had also noticed her burying something in the dung-heap. She asked the attendant, "Sister, what were you doing here? What did you conceal in this dung-heap ?"
The attendant was bathed in perspiration. She was in great
Jain Education International
For Private & Personal Use Only
www.jainelibrary.org
