SAMRADITYA SAGA Part 4 - DISORDER OF ENMITY

A series of misfortune

The next morning, as soon as the sun rose, Dhan bid goodbye to Maheshwardutt and proceeded towards Susharm. Maheshwardutt accompanied him up to twelve kilometres to show him the way and see him off.
He told him, “Dhan, Shravasti City will come on the way. Rest there for a day or two and then proceed. And pay attention to one more thing, whenever you come to this place, do come and stay in the ashram. I will be happy to be your host!”
Maheshwardutt returned while Dhan proceeded ahead. He had hidden the Trailokyasara gemstone necklace very carefully in his clothes. He started thinking, ‘If there is good business in Shravasti, then I will sell the necklace there, get money for it and start my business. Once I achieve my original wealth, then I will return to Susharm. However, before that, I will find out all the information. What did Dhanshri say? Did Nandak reach home? What did my parents do? Did my news reach them? If yes, then what kind of news, true or false? I will have to find out all this.’
He reached the outskirts of a small village in the afternoon. There were a few huts outside the village. There was a clump of Bargad, Peepal and Neem trees nearby. Dhan went to the hut and asked for water. An old woman came out and gave Dhan water to drink.
She asked him, “From where have you come and where do you intend to go?” 
“I have come from Yogishwar’s Ashram and I am going towards Shravasti.”
“Oh nice! You have come from Yogishwar’s Ashram? You must have gone to meet Yogishwar. Did you see the new hermit there? He is very impressive!”
“Yes mother, I happened to meet him. I was with him only!”
“That’s great. Anyway, it is time for lunch now, so you have lunch. Then you rest under the shade of the trees and proceed for your destination during late afternoon.”
Dhan had lunch and rested. Then at 4 o’clock, he started his journey towards Shravasti.
The old woman said, “Son, there is a jungle ahead. So you travel only till dusk. You will see a temple on the way. It is a convenient place to halt at night. You stay there and go ahead in the morning. There are wild animals in that jungle. Take these two flint stones. If any animal comes towards you, then quickly rub them against each other. Seeing fire getting ignited, the animal will get scared and run away.”
He took the two stones and proceeded.
He halted at the temple at night and proceeded for his destination early in the morning. In the afternoon, he rested in a small village and then continued ahead. At night, he halted about twelve kilometres away from Shravasti, at a small guesthouse. There were other travellers staying there but Dhan did not talk to any of them. He went and slept in one corner. He did not have any luggage, his clothes were torn, he looked like a poor needy person. And so, the necklace was safe!
During dawn, he woke up and left for Shravasti. At sunrise, he had reached the entrance gate of Shravasti. There was a crowd at the gate.
Dhan stopped a passer-by and asked him, “Why is there such a huge crowd at the entrance gate?”
The citizen looked at Dhan and said, “It seems you are not from the city! You have just come, it seems.”
“Your assumption is right!”
“Last night there was a robbery at the palace. The thieves robbed the royal treasury. To catch the thieves, the doors in all four directions of the city have been closed. The soldiers are catching outsiders entering or leaving the city and taking them to the minister. The minister checks them. If they’re innocent, then they are allowed to go,” saying this the passer-by walked away.
Dhan thought, ‘I should not go inside the city right now. I should go only after the thieves are caught. Right now it will be good to stay in a small guesthouse.”
Dhan returned. He started going in the other direction but could not avoid the vigilance of one of the soldiers.
The officer came hurriedly to Dhan, caught him and asked him, “Who are you? From where have you come?”
“I am the son of a merchant in Susharm.”
“Where are you going?”
“I had gone ahead and now I am returning to Susharm.”
“Do not get angry at me. I will have to take you to the minister and present you before him.”
“Purpose?”
“There has been a robbery in the Royal Treasury. That is why, it is necessary to check each traveller.”
“I am a merchant’s son. I will never commit such a lowly sin. And I have come here just now! Then why should I need to be presented in front of the minister?”
“Look, you will have to meet the minister. It is a strict order from the king. That is why, we have no choice!”
“Alright. I am coming myself!” Dhan thought, ‘Instead of making the soldier take me, it is better I go on my own. That way, it will create a good impression on the minister and I will be freed soon.”
All of them went to the minister.
The minister asked Dhan, “Who are you? From where are you coming? Where are you planning to go?” 
“I am the merchant’s son from Susharm. And going back to Susharm!”
“Do you have eatables or any such items with you?”
“No! I do not have any suspicious items with me!”
“Tell the truth.”
“I have no reason to lie to a minister like you. Please believe me.”
“Alright, you can go!” the minister released Dhan.
Dhan did not show the necklace! He had become greedy. He had no idea of the consequences.
Dhan got down the stairs and came in the courtyard. In the meanwhile, a huge monkey came there! The monkey jumped from the thick foliage of a Neem tree and clung to Dhan. He started scratching him, tearing his clothes and biting him. And the hidden necklace fell on the ground. The monkey picked it up. Before Dhan could take the necklace back, the minister saw it. He came running and snatched the necklace from the monkey.
The minister took the necklace and told Dhan, “Follow me.”
Dhan started shivering out of fear. His face became pale. He was soaked in sweat. 
The minister inspected the necklace closely, ‘Oh! This is the Trailokyasara gem necklace. I had myself removed this from the treasury and given it to the princess. How did this come in the hands of this man?’ With a little worry, doubt and surprise, the minister asked Dhan, “Oh! From where you get this necklace?”
“I had gone to Mahakatak Island in my ship. I bought this necklace from there. While returning, my ship was wrecked in the storm. All my belongings drowned in the sea. Only I survived and this necklace remained with me!” Dhan took support of lies.
The minister asked, “When did you buy this necklace?”
“A year ago,” a new lie came up.
The minister thought, ‘I had myself given this necklace to the princess three months ago. And two months ago, the princess left from here. But this man is saying something else. First he said that he did not have any suspicious item. Then this necklace fell out of his torn and tattered clothes! This man is suspicious! This necklace is associated with the princess, so it is better to inform the king himself!”
The minister said to Dhan,”You will have to come with me to the king!” 
Dhan was falling deeper in trouble! He went to the king with the minister.
The necklace was shown to the king.
On seeing the necklace the King said, “Oh! This is the princess’ gem necklace! Still, I will ask the Treasurer.’
The Treasurer said, “This is the necklace which was given to the princess.” 
The king looked at Dhan furiously.
‘Surely, this cruel man has either killed my daughter and taken this necklace or looted her. Or else, how would this shabbily dressed man have such an expensive necklace?’
The king asked Dhan, “I am asking you last time. Speak the truth, how did you get this necklace? If you say the truth, then I will not punish you!”
Dhan repeated the same story. The king inspected the necklace from all sides. ‘This is Trailokyasara only. This man is a liar, he is lying.’ The king got furious. He stood up from the throne and announced Dhan’s punishment, “Take him to the graveyard and kill him!”
Dhan was startled. He had just survived once from death and now he was standing in front of death again.
As soon as the punishment was announced, the minister called the executioners and ordered them, “Take this rascal! Put black ink and ash on his entire body. Make him wear a crown of thorns on his head and cover his body with dried grass. Then tie his legs with cuffs, beat the drums, call the citizens of the city and announce this man’s horrible crime. Take him in this manner to the graveyard.”
The king said to the minister, “Put this necklace in a plate and give it to an attendant. Let him carry the plate on his head to the graveyard. The citizens should know the robber who stole the Trailokyasara necklace!”
The minister followed the king’s orders. Living Dhan’s journey to the graveyard began. He was repenting deeply. He lowered his eyes and walked slowly. Suddenly, an incident occurred.
There was an eagle flying in the sky, it was looking for food. Considering the red necklace to be meat, it flew down, grabbed the necklace and soared up high in the sky. All this happened in the blink of an eye. The soldiers stopped in astonishment. A few soldiers ran in the direction in which the eagle flew. But the bird was flying swiftly in the sky. The soldiers could neither catch nor stop the bird. The attendant removed the anger of the bird on Dhan. They surrendered handed him over to the person who worked at the graveyard.
***
In the crematorium, vultures and crow sitting on the dried Babool trees. Their vicious voice was echoing throughout the graveyard. Jackals were howling. A few dead bodies were burning on the pyre. The foul smell of the dead bodies spoilt the atmosphere. A few wild dogs were pouncing on the dead bodies. Bones of humans and animals were lying all around. Dhan was taken to such a place where even the God of Death wouldn’t like to come. The executioner named Lohitmukh took him near the execution spot.
Lohitmukh was working as per his ancestral occupation. He did not like the job at all. He had met a monk and after interacting with him, he had adopted Jainism. He had requested the king many times to free him from such despicable tasks. But the king was not allowing him. Therefore, Lohitmukh was helpless. He could not go against the wishes of the king because it was the matter of his daily wages!
Lohitmukh saw Dhan. He looked at him intently and thought, ‘This young man looks so calm and gentle. What must he have done? No, he must be innocent. But what can I do? I have to follow the king’s orders.’
He made Dhan stand at the execution spot and told him, “Chant your God’s name. This is destiny. I will tell you one thing, my friend is a believer of Jainism! I am in contact with him. That’s why, I am not cruel though my profession is full of cruelty! I do not like this job of killing. But I have to obey the king’s orders!
I had requested the king that whomsoever I have to kill; his emotions should be positive  the time of death. That’s why, I ask them their last wish and try to fulfil it! The king agreed to my request and that is why, you tell me what do you want? Do you have any last wish?”
Dhan was shocked listening to his gentle and sweet words. ‘He is an executioner at a graveyard but still, a strong believer of Jainism. He has so much humanity. He has so much affection for the poor and helpless people. He is such a benevolent gentleman! Really, he is not a Chandal by nature, only by caste. He is a virtuous man! And where did I met such a gentleman? In a crematorium! That too, at the time of my death! Anyway, now death is staring at me in my face. There is no time to do anything. An unfortunate man’s wishes are usually left unfulfilled!’ Dhan sighed.
He looked at the man and stared at him for a minute. Then he said, “You follow the king’s orders. Why do you think of anything else?” 
Hearing Dhan’s courageous words, the executioner thought, ‘This man is not faulty, he is a great person! He is not scared of death, he can not be a criminal! He seems to be innocent! Will I be killing an innocent person?’ He started crying.
He said in a heavy voice, “Remember your God and chant his name. Give up all the physical pleasures. Embrace Dharm in your heart and look up to heaven.”
Distress arose in Dhan’s body.
‘Really, this world is pathetic. My wishes to do works of philanthropy have remained in my heart. I had left home with the intention of earning wealth in order to carry out good deeds. I wanted to earn money with my own hard work and distribute it amongst the poor and improve their life. My wish could not fulfilled in this life. May I be reborn in such a place where I can fulfil my wish.’ Thinking this, he looked up at the sky and sat down.
Chandal removed his sword from its sheath, raised it till his shoulder, waved it in the air and said, “Oh people! Listen to me, this man has kidnapped the princess and stolen her Trailokyasara necklace. So, for this crime I am executing him on the king’s orders. If any person commits a crime against the laws, they will be punished in this manner!”
The sword which the Chandal had picked up to kill, was thrown down without killing. And he fell down unconsciously on the ground. All this happened so quickly that Dhan did not get a chance to think what just happened!