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THE WAY OF LIFE
amiably reunited with them. The King treated them with great affection and regard and provided them with all amenities and comforts.
248
When Shripal went on horse-back along the main road in the city, people saw him and said, "He is our King's son-in-law. He is going here. How handsome he is! How fortunate he is! How full of spiritual excellence and merit! Really Mayanasundari's good fortune has bloomed out!"
CHANGE PUBLIC CONDEMNATION INTO
COMMENDATION
When Shripal heard these words uttered by the people, he felt greatly unhappy. "Should I be praised through the medium of my father-in-law? It is not proper for me. I should be known to people as myself under my name, as Shripal. I must leave the palace of my father-in-law where I am taking shelter". The King's son-in-law these words seemed to be unbearable to him. He felt that they were words of condemnation rather than commendation. He did not like to be condemned by people. He thought that people would go further and say, "Shripal has settled down comfortably in his father-in-law's house as a dependant upon his in-laws. He has no ability of his own". He decided to leave his father-in-law's house at once and to go out of the Kingdom. After telling Mayana about his decision and after receiving the blessings of his mother, Kamalaprabha; he set off alone.
Noble and cultured people do not like the disapproving remarks of people. Mayanasundari also did not like the censure by people. When the King celebrated the marriage of Mayanasundari with the unknown leper, Shripal, the people of the city derided Mayanasundari and her Jain Dharma without leaving anything unexpressed. "See Mayanasundari's fanatical insistence upon doctrines. What kind of husband has she got by arguing with her father about good and evil Karmas? She has got a leper and idler for her husband. She was coming to the temple everyday. She was listening to the words of Jain Acharyas and she has reaped the fruits of her actions. If there was real efficacy in Jain dharma, would she not secure an
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