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56
Life and Stories of Pārçvanātha
karma. The Sage Amareçvara came along and instructed them all. The king was taken with remorse at his hasty action; he himself and Jasāditya took the dikşā; and even the thief repented. Aruņadeva, Deviņī, and the thief went to heaven (439-499).
Parable of the impatient beggar who went to hell
The text passes from the theme of injurious words to that of injurious thoughts, illustrating: A certain wandering beggar came into the neighborhood of the Vāibhāra mountain. Because he got no alms, he conceived the following evil thought: 'There is plenty to eat and drink, and yet no one gives me alms. Therefore I shall seize all.' In deep dudgeon and fierce thought he climbed to the mountain top, tore off a huge rock, and pitilessly cast it down; in its downward course all the world was destroyed. He himself was ground to pieces and went to hell as a dramaka 24 (499-505).
Story of King Vasu who violated the truth 25 The text turns to the second of the five light vows (aņuvrata), namely truth-telling (verse 46), and illustrates: King Abhicandra of Çuktimati had a son named Vasu. A teacher, Kșīrakadamba, had a son Parvata. Vasu, Parvata, and another boy, named Nārada went to school with Kșirakadamba. Once, while they were studying by night on the top of the palace, sleep overcame the pupils, but the teacher overheard two ascetics who were wandering in the heavens and observing the school, say to one another: One of these three boys will go to
* See p. 233. ** Cf. Mahābhārata 12. 337. 1 ff.
