________________
34. THE STORY OF NANDI
This happened in the city of Mathurā where king Sridāma ruled. His wife was Bandhusri and their young son was Nandivardhana. The king had a barber named Citta and this barber enjoyed the king's confidence so much so that he had free access to any place in the palace, even to the king's inner apartments.
During the visit of the ascetic Mahavira, Gautama one of these days saw a curious spectacle in one of the busy squares of the town. A man was being forcibly seated on a red hot iron throne and the people that had gathered around were being told to take part in the great coronation ceremony that was being held for the young man. They first poured on his head extremely hot water filled with lead, chunam and salt. They placed round his neck a variety of necklaces, all heated to a fire like degree which they held with a pair of iron tongs. They also placed a metal band round his forehead and placed a burning hot crown upon his head. The king's officers repeated this coronation scene at every major square of the town. Gautama would very much like his master Mahāvira to explain the mystery of this unfortunate event, who this man was and how he came to deserve it.
Accordingly, Mahävira gave the following account of the earlier existence of the unfortunate man who had presented the pathetic spectacle to Gautama. The young man that was being mocked and ridiculed was in fact the prince Nandivardhana who felt extremely impatient with his father and wanted to employ the services of the
Jain Education International
For Private & Personal Use Only
www.jainelibrary.org
