SAMRADITYA SAGA Part 2 - TANGLES OF HATRED

Journey of seven lives

I enjoyed divine pleasures for a long period of about 25 Sagaropam in the third Graiveyak. Life ended. I reincarnated as a human in Champawas City of West Mahavideh. My father’s name was Manibhadra Shresthi and mother’s name was Dharini. I was named Purnabhadra. But when I first started speaking, the word ‘Amar’ came out of my mouth, so I was also named Amargupt.
I (Dharmaghosh) asked, “Gurudev, now you are narrating your present life?’
“Yes! My journey was from the life of Soma upto this present life. I will also tell you how I attained self-realisation in this life. Before that, I’ll tell you what happened to Dronak, who gave me sorrow in seven lives.
He died and went to the hell named Dhoomprabha where he kept burning in the fire of sufferings for twelve Sagaropam. Then he incarnated as a giant crocodile in the vast ocean named Swayambhuraman. There, he endured terrible suffering for twelve Sagaropam. After dying, he was reincarnated innumerable times in the plant and animal kingdom. Eventually, he also ended up in the same Champawas City. His soul took birth as the daughter of Nanda, the wife of Nandavart Shresthi. Naming her Nandyanti, parents raised her with great affection.
Here, I was had reached my youth and so did Nandyanti. His father, Nandavart came to our house one day. My father welcomed him. He was greeted and offered a seat.
My father asked, “Any special purpose for coming here? If there is any work worthy of my service, then feel free to ask.”
Nandavart Shresthi said, “Manibhadraji, Nandyanti is the name of my beautiful daughter. I was busy in search of a suitable life partner for her. Suddenly, I saw your son Amargupt. My heart was pleased seeing him. Amargupt seemed suitable for Nandyanti. If you accept my request, I will be obliged!”
My father called my mother and talked about Nandavart Shresthi’s proposal. My mother had seen Nandyanti at some festival in the city. She was impressed by her external personality. She gave consent to my father. My father accepted Nadavart’s proposal with respect.
I got married to Nandyanti on an auspicious day and time.
I saw her, I liked her. I drowned her in the ocean of affection. But she didn’t have true love for me. There was deceit in her heart. There was a hidden desire to cheat me. But due to my simplicity and softness, no severe problem ever arose and our life went on without any hindrance.
She loved beautiful clothes and precious jewelry. I used to bring clothes and ornaments according to her wish and give it to her. I would get ornaments made of her favourite pearls and gems, but she was never satisfied.
One day, trembling with panic, she said to me, “Two of my diamond earrings are lost. I searched a lot but couldn’t find them.”
She looked very upset.
I consoled her by saying, “Oh! Nandi. Why have you become so restless over such a small matter? Just look at your face in the mirror! What kind of a depressed face you’ve made! So what if your earrings got lost? I’ll get new ones! But you don’t get upset like this.”
My sisters came to know about this.
My younger sister said to me, “Brother, don’t believe my sister-in-law’s words to be true. She is compelled by the habit of lying at every step. Even mother knows, but we remain silent thinking that you shouldn’t be sad. Otherwise we know a lot. She might have told you that her earrings are lost.”
I said, “Yes!”
“It is absolutely false. Her earrings aren’t  lost, she has hidden them! On top of it, she is pretending. This is not good,” anger could be seen in her words.
I said, “Okay sister! It’s not good that she lies and cheats. But if I tell her that she has hidden the earrings and is lying, then what will happen? Do you have any idea about this? There will be unnecessary trouble in the house! Instead, won’t it be better if I buy new earrings for her?”
Both my sisters had deep affection for me. They knew my nature very well that I did not like any quarrel in the house. Thus, no one would fight in our house. I would not even like if someone expressed anger in a loud voice. So, from parents to servants, everyone used to talk calmly in a low voice.
I could see Nandyanti's mistakes, but I never held onto them. We had a lot of wealth in our house. And only Nandyanti was fond of clothes and ornaments. I would buy for her and she would be happy. But her way of asking was wrong. She used to ask by lying and making excuses. My mother and sisters would often draw my attention. Nandyanti’s lie could not be tolerated by them. Yet, I would somehow explain and convince them!
I got new earrings for Nandyanti.
A few days later, an incident occurred. While going for a bath, I gave my gemstone ring which had my name inscribed on it, to Nandyanti. She kept it in the box of her personal ornaments.
I took a bath, got ready and had food. Later, I myself took out my ring from Nandyanti’s jewelry box. When I opened the box, I saw those missing pair of earrings about which Nandyanti had told me. I thought maybe the missing earrings were found. I was looking at those earrings when Nandyanti, reached there in a restless state. She looked down with embarrassment. I saw the change of expression on her face, but I did not say anything. I silently went out of the house.
She had become blank. She felt very scared. After years, her deceit had been clearly exposed in front of me. A whirlpool of thoughts arose in her mind, 'He has seen the earrings. Now he will definitely tell his family! I will be disgraced. Although he has not told anything to anyone in the house yet. He has gone out but when he returns, he will definitely talk about it. Then how will I dare to show my face to anyone? That’s why, it will be better if I do something so that he dies as soon as he comes home. This way, my truth won’t be revealed!’
When Nandyanti was at her father’s house before marriage, she had met a female hermit. Nandyanti had pleased her by offering her good food and clothes. At that time, the female hermit told her, “When you will go to your in-laws’ house after marriage, there can sorrow or trouble from your father-in-law, mother-in-law, sister-in-law’s end or anyone else. What will you do at that time? I am pleased with you. I’ll give you a magic spell by which you will be able to show your enemy the pathway to death easily.” Nandyanti got happy. The female hermit taught her the trick and left from there!
That day, Nandyanti recollected that magic spell and decided to make me its victim. She mixed some materials and tied them in a piece of red cloth. She inserted a prong of the babool tree in it. She kept that object on the ground outside the main gate of the house in such a way that I succumb to death as soon as I stamp on it.
When Nandyanti was doing this, my mother or sisters were not at home! She got a clear path. However, a small poisonous snake was sitting at the spot where she went to keep her weapon. As soon as Nandyanti stepped there, the snake bit her! Screaming, Nandyanti collapsed there.
Our neighbour, Rudradev Purohit heard Nadayanti’s scream. He came running near our house. There, he saw the green snake slide away and Nandyanti lying down. He understood the situation.
He came running to my shop and said to me, “Shreshthiputra, hurry up! Call the mantra healers who remove the venom of snakes. Nandyanti has been bitten by a snake.”
I hurriedly left the shop and ran. I called the mantra healers and reached home. The venom of the snake had spread in Nandyanti’s body. Nevertheless, the healer tried his best for the sake of my satisfaction. The mantras had no effect at all.
In the end, the healer told me, “This woman has been bitten by a serpent. It is not possible to save her. Forgive me.” Saying this, he left.
I sat beside Nandyanti and kept caressing  her head.
I asked her in a heavy voice, “Sundari, are you feeling too much pain?”
But how could she speak? Her life was blown away. I got totally disheartened. Tears started flowing down my eyes.
My parents and sisters had also come. Everyone started moaning. Finally, her funeral was held.
I was sitting in my room with emptiness. All the pleasures of the physical world seemed like a mere dream to me. My mind was criticising the entire material world. ‘This Grihvas, these relations and attachments, this splendor, this wealth,  everything is like a dream, nothing has essence. Now it is impossible for me to stay at home.”
My father came into the room. I stood up. He put his hand on my head. He was also extremely worried about my suffering. He sat down on a seat kept there. I sat down near his feet.
There was silence for a few moments.
“Son, I want to tell you something.”
I remained silent.
“How long will you be buried in the ocean of mourning like this?”
“Father, I am not depressed. My mind has become detached.”
“True, the incident that has happened is such that it can make the mind detached. But it is not impossible for such things to occur in this world. All this goes on, my son! Man cannot live carrying all this burden on the heart. Let go of the burden! And think about what to do now.”
“Father, I was thinking the same thing.”
“What, son?”
“To accept monkhood.”
“Sadhu Dharm.”
“Yes, father! In this human life, I want to break the bondage of my karmas by practising monkhood! I want to be free. I want to be pure.”
“Son, I had come with the idea of remarriage for you. We have looked for girls better than Nandyanti for you. You get married, son.”
“No father. The bond of attachment has broken on its own. Now I do not want to trap myself in the bondage of attachments again. And anyway, my mind is completely detached from sensory pleasures. I cannot marry again, don’t force me.”
My father, Shreshthi Manibhadra, was aware of my inner detachment. He knew my religious and spiritual views very well. He withdrew his offer.
When my mother and sisters got to know about my decision, all of them started crying. They had great affection towards me. I explained them the nature of the physical world very calmly.
I explained them that, “Now my mind will not feel good at home. Staying at home seems like imprisonment.” They were convinced.
I accepted monkhood.
I followed Sadhu Dharm with complete alertness and wandering through various places, I have come to your city.”
King Arimardan asked, “Where did  Nandyanti reincarnate after dying?”
“King, before and at the time of death, Nandyanti’s mind was filled with cruel intentions. As a result, she reincarnated in the hell named Tamah Tamah Prabha. She will face miserable sorrow for 21 Sagaropam there.”
The king asked, “Will that soul attain salvation? If so, when will it happen?”
“King! For infinite time, her soul will wander in this world. It will keep playing the acts of birth and death. But in the end, she will surely attain salvation.”
“Lord, when will you be liberated?” I asked spontaneously.
“Dharmghosh! This is my last incarnation. I will complete my life and attain salvation. Then I will not take birth again.”
The king asked, “How and when did you attain Avdhi Gyan, the knowledge that shows the past, present and future?”
“A few days ago, when I was absorbed in Dharm Dhyan, my Avdhigyanavarn karmas were eradicated and I attained Avdhi Gyan.
Acharya Shri Dharmghoshsuriji told Sinhakumar, “Prince, I heard the life story of a great man in this way. My mind was filled with detachment. The king returned to the city with his family. I also came to the city house after worshipping Gurudev.
During the night, my sleep had gone far away from me. Acharyaji’s journey of seven incarnations was constantly springing up in my mind.
1. Incarnation of Soma and Rudradev
2. Life of elephant and parrot
3. Life of Chakradev and Yagyadev
4. Life of Chandrasar and Adhanya
5. Life of Anantdev and Dhandev
6. Life of Veerdev and Dronak
7. Last incarnation of Amargupt and Nandyanti.
The long story and agony of seven lives kept shaking my existence. I pondered on those thoughts all night. In the morning, I decided to accept monkhood. I informed my friends about this decision. They also agreed to renounce with me. We accepted monkhood under the same Amarguptsuriji. You asked the reason for my detachment, didn’t you? This is the reason. Sinhakumar devotedly worshipped Acharyaji.