Part 2: Episode of Vidyudaṅga

‘In the city Kundapura there is a merchant, Samudrasaṅgama, a layman; his wife is Yamunā; and I am their son, Vidyudaṅga. In course of time I grew up, and came to Ujjayinī with merchandise to buy and sell. There I saw a doe-eyed courtesan, Kāmalatā, and became at once the abode of the arrows of Kāma. I made a meeting with her with the idea, “I shall spend one night with her,” and was bound firmly by love like a deer by a snare. The large amount of money which had been acquired by my father with difficulty during his whole life, I wasted in six months, dominated by her. One day she said to me, "Give me earrings like those of Śrīdharā, the chief-queen of Siṃhodara.” “I have no money; for you I will steal them,” saying, I rashly entered the palace at night by a tunnel. I heard Śrīdharā ask Siṃhodara, “Lord, why do you not sleep, as if you were depressed?” Siṃhodara said, "How can I sleep so long as Vajrakarṇa, opposed to bowing to me, lives? At dawn I am going to kill him and his friends, children, and relatives. Let the night pass for me sleepless until then, my dear.”

After hearing that I abandoned the theft of the earrings and hurried here to tell you because of affection for a co-religionist.’

On hearing this, Vajrakarṇa at once supplied the city with an abundance of grass and grain and saw the dust of the enemy’s army in the air. Immediately Daśāṅgapura was surrounded by Siṃhodara with strong forces on all sides like a sandal tree by serpents. Then Siṃhodara sent a messenger to Vajrakarṇa: ‘Deceitful wretch! I have been deoeived for a long time by your trick-bowing. Come and bow to me without your ring. Otherwise you and all your household will go to the house of Yama.’ Vajrakarṇa replied, ‘I have made the resolution: “I will not bow to any one except the Arhat and sādhus.” There is no pride in heroism in this, but pride in dharma. Take everything of mine that you want except homage. Give me a concession^[1] that I may go somewhere else for dharma. ‘Let dharma alone be my wealth.’

He did not agree to this speech of Vajrakarṇa’s. Certainly haughty men do not consider right or wrong. Siṃhodara besieged the city and Vajrakarṇa and has remained outside, looting, and the country has become depopulated from fear of him. I and my household have been ruined in this quarrel between kings. Today palaces here were burned. My hut is dilapidated. I am going in that direction, sent by a cruel wife, to bring household paraphernalia from the empty houses of rich men. There has been this auspicious fruit to me of her hard command. By fate I have seen you who resemble a god.”

Raghūdvaḥa, an ocean of compassion, gave a cord made of gold and jewels to the poor man after he had told him this. Then Rāma dismissed him, went to Daśāṅgapura, bowed to Candraprabha in an outside shrine, and stopped there. At Rāma’s command Saumitri entered the city at once and went before Vajrakarṇa. For that is the custom of straightforward persons. Vajrakarṇa recognized that he was a superior person of noble appearance and said, “Noble sir, be my guest for dinner.”, The younger brother of Rāma replied, “My lord and his wife are in a garden outside. I must see that he eats first.” Then King Vajrakarṇa had food with many sauces taken to Rāma with Saumitri.

At the conclusion of the meal Lakṣmaṇa was sent by Rāma, who had instructed him, to the King of Avanti and said to him confidently, “King Dāśarathi, Bharata, of whom all kings are slaves, forbids your quarrel with Vajrakarṇa.” Siṃhodara said: “Even Bharata shows favor only to his followers who are devoted, but not otherwise. This vassal of mine, Vajrakarṇa, is ill-disposed. He does not bow to me. How can I show him favor? Tell me.” Lakṣmaṇa said again: “He is not disrespectful to you. His failure to bow arises from respect for his religion. Do not be angry at Vajrakarṇa. Bharata’s command must be obeyed; for Bharata is ruler of the earth up to the ocean.” Angered, Siṃhodara said, “Who, pray, is King Bharata, who, a partisan of Vajrakarṇa, crazy, says this to me?” Red-eyed with anger, the petal of his lip quivering, Saumitri said: “Villain, if you do not know Bharata, I shall make him known very soon. Rise for battle. Be completely armed. You cease to exist like a lizard struck by the lightning of my arm.”

Siṃhodara with his army, eager to kill Saumitri, was like a child eager to touch a fire concealed by ashes. Lakṣmaṇa, who had pulled up by his arm an elephant-post like a lotus-stalk, like Death with a raised staff, beat the enemy. Then Saumitri, long-armed, lifted up Siṃhodara who was on an elephant, tied him with his garment by the neck like an animal. While the inhabitants of Daśāṅgapura watched this remarkable thing, Lakṣmaṇa dragged him like a cow into Rāma’s presence. When Siṃhodara had seen Rāma and bowed to him, he said: “I did not know that you had come here, scion of Raghu’s family. Yet, why was this done to test me, Your Majesty?” If you are devoted to tricks, enough of life for me. Pardon me the fault of ignorance. Whatever must be done, give orders for that. Anger toward a servant is merely for discipline, like that of a teacher for a pupil.”

Raghūdvaha instructed him: “Make peace with Vajrakarṇa” and Siṃhodara agreed, “Very well.” Vajrakarṇa came there at Rāmabhadra’s command and, standing respectfully before him, his hands folded submissively, said: “Rāma and Śārṅgin, lords of the line of Ṛṣabha Svāmin, by good fortune I saw you here, but did not know you for a long time. You are long-armed lords of the whole half of Bharata; I and other kings are servants of you alone. Free this lord of mine and instruct him that he may endure in future my resolution never to bow to others, lord. For the resolution, ‘Except the Arhat and the sādhu no one is entitled to homage from me,’ was taken from Ṛṣi Prītivardhana.”

At a sign of his brow by Rāma, Siṃhodara agreed and, freed by Saumitri, embraced Vajrakarṇa. With extreme pleasure Siṃhodara gave Vajrakarṅa half of his kingdom with Rāghava as a witness, like giving it to a brother. The king of Daśāṅgapura asked the king of Avanti for Śrīdharā’s earrings and gave them to Vidyudaṅga. Vajrakarṇa gave eight of his own daughters to Saumitri, and Siṃhodara and his vassals gave him three hundred maidens. Then Lakṣmaṇa said: “Now keep the maidens at your side, since our brother Bharata has been installed in the kingdom by o,ur father. At the proper time when I have a kingdom promised, I shall marry your daughters; but now we are going to settle on Mt. Malaya.” Vajrakarṇa and Siṃhodara agreed to this and went to their respective cities, having been dismissed by Rāmabhadra.

Footnotes and references:

[1]:

Dharmadvāra has a peculiar Jain usage. It is the permission to leave with a certain amount of property. In Āvacūrṇi, I, p. 564, dharmadvāra is what can be taken in one chariot.