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Story of the miserly Dhanasāra
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from grace. They were then born into their present state, had fallen into misfortune, but had been saved by their virtue. Sundara and his wife continued to live pious and virtuous lives, died peacefully, and went to heaven (723-890).
Story of the miserly merchant Dhanasāra The text turns to the fifth and last of the light vows (aņuvrata), namely greedlessness (aparigraha 48), illustrating by story: In the city of Mathurā lived a merchant, named Dhanasāra, who counted his wealth by lakhs and crores, but was exceedingly stingy. The sight of any of his people giving alms would make him shut his eyes and fall in a faint. If his neighbors gave alms, a thing which he did not see, but heard of, the mere report of that would make him flee. If urged to give for religious ends, he would shut his teeth, and stand motionless. He changed the first syllable of the word dāna, ' giving' (namely, da) to na, namely . not.'
The ill repute of his stinginess became so great that no one would mention his name (906). Once upon a time he dug for treasure and made a find, but, as he looked at it, it turned to living coal. Another time he found treasure, but it turned to vermin, serpents, and scorpions.49 Just as he was beating his breast in grief over this disappointment, he was told of the wreck of one of his ships. Almost choked with grief, he stood like a stone fence. Then he determined to go to sea to retrieve his wealth. Remembering the city of Mahākļpaņa (“Stingytown'), which he had once visited, he set out for that. His ship,
· Otherwise known as akimcanatva or akimcanya.
* Gold turns to scorpions, Indian Antiquary xix. 311; Manwaring, Ma. hratti Proverbs, p. 217 (note on nr. 1675).
