Part 13: Siṃhakeśarin

In the city Kośalā, Kūbara, very powerful, King Nala’s younger brother, rules. I am his son. King Keśarin, lord of the city Saṅgā, gave me his daughter, named Bandhumatī. Commanded by my father, I went there, married her, and set out for my own city with the bride. As I went on the road, I saw this guru and several disciples stopped, like good fortune embodied. With great devotion I paid homage to the muni and listened to a sermon of his, a fountain of nectar to the ears. Questioned by me at the end of the sermon, ‘How long shall I live?’ he employed upayoga^[1] and said, “Just five days.”

Knowing death was near, then I was afraid and trembled. Fear of life is a great fear on the part of all creatures. The sūri said to me, “Do not be afraid, son. Undertake mendicancy. For being a mendicant for even one day surely offers a path to heaven.” After becoming a mendicant, I came here at his command and engaged in pure meditation. I reached omniscience by destruction of the destructive karmas.’^[2] After telling this, Siṃhakeśarin made obstruction of activity, destroyed the karma that prolongs existence,^[3] and attained emancipation. Then the kevalin’s body was made the recipient of cremation by the gods, pure in heart, who had taken it to a holy place.

The pure-minded abbot, named Yathārtha, adopted mendicancy at the feet of Śri Yaśobhadra Sūri. Davadantī, her soul subdued, said to the sage, ‘Blessed One, give me mendicancy, the mother of emancipation.’ Yaśobhadra Sūri said, ‘Davadantī, now you must enjoy pleasures with Nala. You are not ready for the vow.’