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King Kiranavega
43
SARGA THE SECOND Frame Story: King Kiraṇavega
On the Vāitādhya mountain stood a sumptuous city, Tilakā, in which ruled a Vidyādhara king, Vidyudgati, with his beloved wife Tilakāvati. The soul of the elefant (Marubhūti) fell from the eighth Kalpa (astamāt kalpāt) into the womb of Tilakāvatī, to be reborn as prince Kiranavega. In due time that prince was married to Padmāvati, daughter of an important vassal of the king. The king, after giving instructions to his ministers and preaching royal wisdom to his son, made over to him his kingdom, and took vows with the celebrated Guru Sāgara (34). Kiraṇavega had a son, Kiranatejas, who grew up finely. A Sage, Suraguru by name, arrived at a park outside the city, and delivered a sermon culminating in the five-fold vow (pañcavrata ), being the duties in lighter form (aņu) of the householder (grhin) in distinction from the ascetic (yati). The five duties are: ahińsā, * non-injuriousness '; satya, 'truth'; asteya, 'nontheft'; brahmacarya, chastity'; and aparigraha,' nonacquisition.' Ahinsā, or non-injuriousness,' is described and illustrated by the following story (1-51):
* This is the fourth pre-birth of the future Pårçva.
For these vows see e. g. Āyarañga-Sutta 2. 15; Tattvårthådhigamasútra 7. 1 (Bibl Ind.); V. S. Ghate, The Indian Interpreter, vol. x, p. 31, where the fifth vrata is styled åkimoanya (akinichanya!). These five vows are in accordance with the teaching of Mahavira, rather than the reputed teaching of Parcva, which postulates only four vows, omitting the brahmacarya. Thus, explicitly, Uttarādhyayana Sutra 23. 12; cf. Bühler, Uber die Indische Secte der Jaina, .p. 101; Stevenson, The Heart of Jainism, p. 48.
