Shikhi returned to the park. His face was looking sad. There was a clash of thoughts in his mind.
‘What should I do? On one side is my mother and on the other side is my monkhood. As per her wish, if I eat the food which is specially prepared for us, then it will be against the principles of monkhood. And if I don’t have food, then mother might start hating me again. As it is women are fickle by nature. Happy one moment and angry the other moment! In the morning, they will be very loving and by night, they will spark fire of hatred!
I have calmed her mind by preaching her regularly. Moreover, she has accepted vows and made her life spiritual and pure. Now, if I don’t fulfill her wish, then things can spoil in no time. All my efforts will go in vain.
What should be done? Shall I take advice from other senior monks? Should I take their opinion? If I can find a mid way where I don’t have to go against my principles and at the same time fulfill mother’s wish, then the problem will be solved! I think I should do this.’
Acharya Vijaysinh had sent five other wise monks with Shikhi. Though Shikhi himself was very knowledgeable, still he preferred taking advice from them before making a decision. He called all the five monks and made them sit beside him respectfully. All the monks had a lot of respect and affection towards him.
Shikhi said, “A difficult scenario has arisen. I have called you all to find a way out. You all have great knowledge of scriptures. You know about the ideal and exceptional ways of spiritual conduct.”
“Great monk, even you are intelligent and have detailed knowledge of the same.”
“Whenever our intellect gets polluted, there is a possibility of making errors in the interpretation of scriptures. We tend to make the mistake of interpreting scriptures as per our thinking. We should actually interpret scriptures by being free from pre-acquired assumptions. Right now, I am keen at resolving my mother’s mind. That is why, I need your help!”
“We are always there for you. You just give us orders, great monk!”
“Today, my mother told me about her wish. She wants all of us to accept food from her house as well as eat there itself. I told her that as per our conduct as a monk, we cannot eat at someone’s house like this.”
“That was the correct reply,” said Samveg.
“But if we don’t eat in this way, then it will hurt mother. She might again develop hatred towards me. Then the motive to come here will go in vain.”
“We can try to explain your mother,” said Nirvan.
“I have already done that! I know her very well. If her wishes don’t get fulfilled, then she gets furious instantly. I don’t want that she develops the same anger, grudge and ill-feelings for me again.”
“What if we ask for Gurudev’s opinion on this?” said Muktiratna.
“We don’t have so much time! We need to decide by tomorrow.”
“As per our conduct, we have to collect alms, come back to our location and eat. That’s our fundamental code of conduct. But there might be an exception to this!” said Mahapragya.
“There is an exception for sure. But first, we need to decide what should be given priority amongst the two - your mother’s wish or our decorum.”
“I think our purpose to come here and the reason why Gurudev has sent us here is to preach Jalini and free her from grief and hatred. Now, if our ideal way of having food is contrary to her wish, then we can take help of the exceptional one,” Tattvagya gave his opinion.
Giving his approval, Nirvan said, “If the alternative is solid, strong, necessary and intention is pure and undoubted, then we can use the exceptional path. Choosing the exceptional path is also under the teachings of Tirthankars. It’s not that only the ideal path is shown by Tirthankars. In my opinion, to get your mother on the religious path and keep her admiration stable for you, we should eat at her house. Doing so will nowhere disobey the teachings of Tirthankar. Infact we will be following it.”
All the other monks also agreed to it. Shikhi said, “Your intellect revolves around scriptures. Your decision is appropriate. Tomorrow, when my mother comes here to invite us, we will accept it and go to her palace.”
All the monks praised Shikhi. Everyone went back to their respective places. Shikhi thought to himself, ‘Religious scriptures are so great. To stabilise beings on the spiritual path, there are so many exceptional ways mentioned in it! Mother will surely be satisfied and move ahead on the path of Dharm.
***
Jalini!
Her dilemma kept on increasing.
Shikhi denied to stay at her place. He even refused to accept food for all the monks with him. Moreover, he also denied her request to have food in the palace. The excuse of conduct was uncommon. So, she couldn’t even force him too much. She wondered what could be done. ‘If I don’t think of a solution soon, then Shikhi will leave Koshambi as soon as one month gets over. He will go back alive and my wish will remain unfulfilled. I will have to plan his murder anyhow.
If I keep pressurizing him to eat at home, then he might just stop coming here. Now, I cannot make him upset. I need to continue pretending to love him. I need to gain his trust to kill him. Otherwise, I just hate his sight. Spark of intense hatred keeps igniting within me.
There is one way to kill him - adding poison to his food. Neither will I need anyone’s help to do this nor will I have to tell anyone anything. This can be done alone. I will not tell anything to anyone because everyone, from the maid to the ministers of the city, respect him a lot. I don’t have anyone whom I can consider trustworthy. But there is no problem. I will do this without anyone’s help. I don’t need anyone’s help.’
Again, a new problem sprang up.
‘How will I add poison in his food? All the monks collect alms for everyone together. If I add poison in the entire food, then all the hundred monks will die. There will be chaos and everyone will doubt me.
What if I ask him to take a sweet in a separate vessel saying that it’s specially made for my son? Then they will analyse many things and there is a possibility that they make someone else taste the sweet. Then it will create a problem for me! I will be caught red handed! Then they will complain about me to the king. The king will punish me by either announcing death sentence or chopping my nose and ears, and leaving me in the jungle. Then what will I do?’ She got anxious. She felt as if someone pierced hundred needles in her body or hundred scorpions bit her.
‘If I don’t find out a way in a day or two and if he goes back alive, then I will go crazy. I will have to commit suicide and then become a ghost to kill him!’ She collapsed on the bed. She pressed her head with both her hands and slowly her anxiety reduced. The way a tree slowly moves after a storm hits by; the same way, Jalini began to gradually find a way.
She started murmuring to herself, ‘Before Shikhi comes here tomorrow, I will only go the park with all food items. And I’ll tell him, “Alright, you don’t accept food from my house. So, I have come here with food. Please accept it here atleast. If you don’t accept, then I will stay here without eating or drinking anything. And I will cry my heart out.” There are hundred monks there. My acting will impact atleast some of them. They will then convince Shikhi to eat the food that I prepared. When someone gets emotional, they don’t think about any principles or decorum.
When they will accept to eat the food that I got for them, I will tell them, “I myself will serve food to all of you today.” Shikhi might not allow me to do this. But some of the other monks might have some sympathy for me and they’ll convince Shikhi to agree to my request. He would deny at first but later he will agree. And I will be successful in my mission.
I will have to reach Meghvan tomorrow in the morning. I will wake up early and prepare all the food. I don’t need to inform Shikhi. I will reach there all of a sudden and not give time to Shikhi to think.’
She thought that this plan would work. So, her sad face now turned cheerful.
She started dancing alone in her room. ‘My longing will surely get fulfilled tomorrow. Tomorrow, I am going to act so well that none of the monks will be able to make out that its pretence and I actually want to do something else.’
She didn’t sleep all night because of excitement.
She woke up and started with her work. She made a dessert with saffron, cardamom and lots of ghee. She made various dishes including dal rice. Everything was ready. She put the dessert in a big box. She took all the food items to Meghvan with the help of her servants. The first quarter of the day was about to end. All the monks were engrossed in their learning. Shikhi was preparing to reach the city. Meanwhile, Jalini entered the park. She asked the servants to keep the food under the shade of a tree and made them sit there. She went to Shikhi. Shikhi got shocked seeing Jalini.
He stood up from his place and said, “Oh mother! How come you are here? Why have you come? I was myself coming to the palace.”
“Son, what will you do coming to the palace? You refuse to accept food from there. You have denied eating there. You even denied staying there during the night. You just preach and then come back to this park. And this is why, today I have got the food here itself.”
“Oh! What did you do? This is inappropriate. You cannot bring food here like this!”
“Son, today I am going to serve all of you by myself and get blessed.”
“Mother, a monk cannot have food that is specially prepared and brought for him! If they eat such food, then its malpractice. As per the principles of Jainism, a monk needs to follow various rules associated with food. We can only accept food that is not specially prepared for us. And if we eat the food that is specially prepared for us, then we need to take penance.”
“Son, if you don’t eat this food, then I will be really upset and won’t get peace. Son, why have you come here walking so many kilometers? So that you can give me some peace, right? So that my mind becomes calm, isn’t it? If this is the reason, then you will have to eat this food that I have prepared for you! Not only you, but I will serve food to all the other monks present here. Son, please don’t compel me.” Jalini began to cry and fell at Shikhi’s feet.
Shikhi got lost in deep thoughts. He began to think with a simple heart, ‘Mother’s faith in religion is getting so strong. She is so eager to serve all of us! She is aware that offering food to monks attracts good karmas. She wants to increase her good fortune. Her intentions are pure. Even her love for me has increased so much. The amount of hatred she had for me earlier; she has the same amount of affection for me now! Today, she adores me like her son. In future, this love for her son will convert into admiration for monk. Her affection is pure and of a high level. This should neither break nor decrease! If I deny eating, then her good intentions and feelings might break. Today, I’ll fulfill her wish and tell her not to do anything like this again in future.’
Shikhi said to Jalini, “Okay, mother. Today, I’ll do what makes you happy. But next time, please don’t prepare food for us like this!”
“Son, till the time you are here, please give me the chance to offer alms. Only fortunate people get a chance to serve hundred monks together. And for an unfortunate woman like me, it’s my very first chance. So, please don’t deny!”
“Mother, I very well understand that you want to do good deeds, and this is really nice. But we also don’t want to commit sins.”
“Okay son, today I will myself serve food to you and all the other monks. Then I’ll do whatever you say.”
“As you wish!”
“Son, today you have truly presented your devotion towards me. You have showered me with lots of affection.”
All the monks sat to eat one after the other.
“Mother, please serve food to all the monks. I will eat after sometime.”
Jalini served food and dessert to all the monks one by one in order. All the monks accepted the food. They started washing their hands. In the meanwhile, Jalini added poison to the left over sweet very cunningly. She prepared a sweet ball out of it. Nobody could make out.
