Yasastilaka and Indian Culture

Author(s): Krishnakant Handiqui
Publisher: Jain Sanskruti Samrakshak Sangh Solapur

Page 43

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YAŠASTILAKA AND INDIAN CULTURE
& mountain in the middle of a river, with a serpent with raised hood on its slope. The king'seemed to be aflame with his valour flaring up in his inner being, and burn everything with his angry look. He was extremely ferocious like a venomous serpent, and seemed to consume everything with the fury of his deportment. The aspect and charac ter of the goddess were still more terrible.
दंष्ट्राकोटिनिविष्टदृष्टिकुटिलम्यालोकषिस्फारितभ्रूभङ्गोटभावभीषणमुखत्रस्यत्रिलोकीपति । preteauaarfareswar1*2t@raigelecegini farà eT: 47s ag: 11 1. 186.
The young ascetics whose minds were bent on the highest beatitude re not in the least afraid of the danger before them, and never lost their balance and composure when ushered into the presence of the king in the grim setting of the temple of Caņdamāri. They encouraged each other to be firm and resolute, scorn death, and regard salvation as the highest object of human endeavour. Máradatta's heart softened at the
he tender boy and the girl; and although he could not recognise them to be his own nephew and niece, he felt the kindly influence of their presence, and said to himself (p. 156):
"MARATDETAIL चान्तामृतमिव नृशंसाशयबहलकालुष्यमपि मुहः प्रशान्तं मे चेतः, चक्षुः पुनः कुलिशकीलितमिव कथं न विषयान्तरमवगाहते, चिरप्रवसितप्रणयिजनावलोकनादिव कथमयमात्मा परमन्तर्मोदते, चित्तमपि चेदं चिरायाचरितपरिचयामेव कथमतीवानन्दथुमन्थरम् , किं नु खलु तदेतन्न स्यान्मम भागिनेययमलम्, आचकर्ण चापरेधुरेव रेवतकनामप्रसिद्धात् कुलवृद्धादेतस्य बालकाल एवाश्चर्यायं तपश्चर्यापर्यायम्, भवन्ति हीमानीन्द्रियाण्यदृष्टपूर्वेष्वपि प्रियजनेषु प्रायेण प्रातस्तपनतेजांसीव रागोल्बणवयांसि ।” ।
“How is it that, at the sight of these two, my heart, though rily tainted by cruel thoughts, has become absolutely calm, as if it had partaken of nectar; and my eyes turn to no other object, as if because riveted upon them with the force of thunder? Why is my soul in an ecstasy of joy, as if at the sight of beloved friends who have been long abroad? Why is my heart steeped in joy, as if it were long familiar with them? Are they not possibly my own nephew and niece? Only the other day I heard from one of the elders of my family, Revataka by name, the amazing story of their religious austerities even in childhood. At the sight of beloved persons, though never seen before, the senses become suffused with youth in an ecstasy of love, like the rays of the morning sun."
Observing the change in the attitude of the king, a bard recited two verses and appealed to him to lay aside his sword.
नासना रिपवो न चापि भवतः कश्चिनिदेशावशः श्रीरेषा तव देव या प्रणयिनी तस्यै न कोऽपीय॑ति । गाढं मुष्टिनिपीडनश्रमभरपोद्वान्तधाराजलां मुञ्चत्वाहवकेलिदो सहचरी तत्खनयष्टिं भवान् ॥ 1. 148.
No enemies are near at hand; none transgresses thy command. Sire, the goddess of prosperity is devoted to thee, and no one is jealous