Life in Ancient India as Depicted in the Jain Canons, with Commentaries: An Administrative, Economic, Social and Geographical Survey c20.s19.t3.1

c20.s19.t3.1

Another war was declared between Pajjoya and king Uddāyana of Vībhaya. It is said that Uddāyana had a sandalwood image of Mahāvīra in his possession which was looked after by Devadattā, a hunchbacked slave girl. Once a sāvaga from Gandhāra came to worship this image in Vībhaya. He was pleased with Devadattā and gave her some magic pills. Devadattā swallowed one of them and her body was transformed to the semblance of molten gold. Then bearing Pajjoya in mind she swallowed another pill and as a result Pajjoya came hurrying with his elephant, Nalagiri, to take her away. Devadattā, who was now called Suvannagulivā, insisted on taking along the image to which Pajjoya agreed. Next morning, Uddāyana found his slave girl and the image both missing. People saw the foot-prints of Nalagiri, his urine and excrement. Thereupon Uddāyana sent a messenger to Pajjoya saying "I care nothing for the servant girl, send me the image." But Pajjoya would not give the image.