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"Reduce the harem into ashes. This has become the abode of impurity".
Abhayakumāra was in a dilemma; at the same time, he could not disobey the king. So he took out the queens to a safe resort and set fire to the palace.
On a point of enquiry by Sreņika, Bhagavān Mahāvira
said,
"All your queens, Celana and others, are spotlessly
chaste".
On this, the king became penitent for the order he had given earlier. So he rushed forth to save the situation. He saw Abhayakumāra on the way, and enquired,
"What have you done with the palace"?
- "Why? I have put it to flames".
The king became intensely sorry. He was also angry with Abhayakumāra for giving effect to such a silly order. And then suddenly the following words dropped from his mouth,
"Get away. Don't show me your face".
Abhayakumara accepted the order of his father. He joined the order of monks of Mahavira wherein he was given initiation by the Master himself.
The king soon discovered that all the queens were safe. Then the only thought in his mind was that he should prevent Abhayakumara from renouncing the world. As he rushed to Mahavira's camp, he found that Abhayakumāra had already been initiated(184). The Antagadadasao mentions that Abhaya's mother, Nandā, too was initiated and liberated(185).
After his initiation, Abhayakumāra studied all the 11 Angas, performed the penance named Gunaratna and became extremely lean and emaciated(186). After his death, he was born in the celestial vimana na med Vijaya
