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16. JAINA RELIGIOUS AND MORAL STORIES
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after renounced the world and became an ascetic. Puşpadanta, the minister's son, was his intimate friend from childhood, and Vārişeņa prevailed upon him to become an ascetic like himself, Puşpadanta, however, found it difficult to forget his beautiful newly married wife Sudati in spite of his vow. Twelve years rolled by, and still her memory haunted him day and night. Vārişe fearing that he would one day renounce his vow and return to his wife, hit upon a stratagem, and paid a visit to his mother, the queen Celini, accompanied by his friend. . The queen received both of them cordially, and Värişeņa asked her to send for her daughters-in law. They were soon ushered to their presence, resplendent in their dress and adornment, and lovely with the fresh beauty of vouth. Vārisena then requested his mother to send for the wife of his friend Puşpadanta; but during the long period of her separation from her husband, she had lost her beauty and youth, and when she appeared before them, her ugly, emaciated and worn out figure made a sad contrast to the charming ladies who were standing beside her. The sight was too much for Puşpadanta to bear, and he asked for leave to depart. In this way Vārişeņa confirmed his friend in the resolution to maintain his vow, and both thereafter continued their austerities together,
VII) The king of Ahicchatra in the Pañcāla country had a learned priest named Somadatta. Once the latter's wife who was expecting the birth of a child expressed a great desire to partake of ripe mangoes at a time when their season had already passed. Somadatta accordingly went in search of mangoes, accompanied by his pupils, and entered the Kālidāsa forest where they saw a large mango tree overloaded with the ripe fruit, as a result of the mystic power of the sage Sumitra who lived under the tree.
Somadatta sent some mangoes to his wife with one of his pupils, but himself remained there spellbound by the teachings of the sage, renounced all worldly aspirations, and became an ascetic. He started austerities on the Nābhigiri mountain in Magadha, and his wife in due course gave birth to a male child and came to her husband with the baby ; but finding him utterly indifferent and insensible to family ties, she left the child before him on the rocks and returned home. Meanwhile, a Vidyādhara prince named Bhāskaradeva, who had been ousted from his heritage by his younger brother Purandara, fixed his camp at Balavāhanapura and came with his wife to pay homage to Somadatta, while the latter was engaged in austerities. Taking pity on the child, they adopted him as their own and named him Vajrakumāra, Bhāskaradeva then worshipped the sage and left with the child for Bhāvapura.
Vajrakumāra grew up to be a youth possessing valour and courage, attained the rank of a Vidyadhara and married his uncle's daughter Indumati.
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