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    Amrapali A Historical Saga of Love & Renunciation
    Amrapali A Historical Saga of Love & Renunciation
    Amrapali A Historical Saga of Love & Renunciation
    Ebook195 pages3 hours

    Amrapali A Historical Saga of Love & Renunciation

    By Raja Sharma

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    About this ebook

    This historical novel will tell you the story of love and sacrifice that will overshadow all other stories which you may have already gone through. This book is inspired by true historical incidents which took place during the lifetime of Lord Buddha, before Christ.

    A lot of research was done before giving the sequence of events a shape of a novel. The care has been taken to keep the language simple, for it was originally written in Sanskrit and Pali language, so that it could be read and enjoyed by even a casual reader.

    Rajasir

    LanguageEnglish
    PublisherRaja Sharma
    Release dateJul 10, 2011
    ISBN9781466034310
    Amrapali A Historical Saga of Love & Renunciation
    Author

    Raja Sharma

    Raja Sharma is a retired college lecturer.He has taught English Literature to University students for more than two decades.His students are scattered all over the world, and it is noticeable that he is in contact with more than ninety thousand of his students.

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    Amrapali A Historical Saga of Love & Renunciation - Raja Sharma

    Amrapali A Historical Saga of Love & Renunciation

    By Raja Sharma

    Copyright@2011Raja Sharma

    Smashwords Edition

    Chapter 1

    Foreword

    In ancient India, during the time of Lord Buddha, Vaishali was a flourishing democracy. Amrapali of Vaishali democracy was the most beautiful woman of the world. She is the all time best. She is the only woman in the history who had been forced to prostitution by state order.

    About Amrapali’s parents nothing is known. A man from Vaishali found her beneath a mango (Amra in Sanskrit language) tree thus she was named Amrapali. He and her wife adopted her as their daughter.

    She had grown up to her youth with a magnificent look. She had milk like white skin, her lips were as red as pomegranate, her cheeks were like the roses, she had a nose like a parrot, she had lotus like eyes, her neck was long as crane, legs and hands were long and slim, her fingers were like the brush of an artist, her naval was compared with the depth of a lake. There is a ton of description of her beauty in Sanskrit texts.

    No doubt, she was the most beautiful woman of the world.

    As she stepped into her youth people of Vaishali state became crazy of her. Everybody wanted to marry her. Her beauty made the city mad.

    People started coming with proposals to her parents. The Lords, merchants, senators, and generals of army everyone had only one wish to get Amrapali. Her parents were perturbed with flooded proposals. They could not decide anything about her marriage.

    She could not be married to any one man because if they decided in favor of anyone, others would be angry and could create problem for them. Her beauty became her greatest enemy.

    Sacrifice of Amrapali to save the unity of her country was essential.

    Vaishali was a democracy. The parliament was also informed of the same. Members of the democratic parliament sat to discuss over the issue. They discussed and debated a long. Every member put his own view. After long sessions they came with a unanimous decision.

    Parliament of Vaishali took a unique and historical decision. It decided to make her a prostitute. It was dangerous to hand over Amrapali to anyone. Others would not accept it easily. It would break the unity of Vaishali, the most powerful democracy of ancient India.

    Amrapali was forced to be a Nagar (city) Vadhu (wife) that means a prostitute, by order of Parliament. She sacrificed her wishes, her married and family life in order to save unity of her country.

    Everybody was then permitted to meet with and to make love to her. She was not only the most beautiful but also an expert in dance and music. She entertained Lords and mass, rich and poor, braves and cowards, everyone.

    Fragrance of her beauty, her art, her intelligence and skill in dance and music spread crossing borders of her state.

    Bimbisaar, the Emperor of powerful Magadha dynasty was attracted to her. As Vaishali was an enemy of Magadha, it was difficult for him to come and meet with her. But he found himself unable to resist from meeting this heavenly beauty of Vaishali. He came to Vaishali in a disguise and fell in love with Amrapali.

    Bimbisaar offered Amrapali to make her Empress of Magadha. Amrapali denied because she knew that her state Vaishali would never accept it. This marriage could trigger a battle between two powerful countries, the mighty Magadha and the brave Vaishali. After the refusal, Bimbisaar came back, broken hearted, to his capital.

    Amrapali was not mentally satisfied in spite of comfort and luxury provided by the state. She never liked to be a prostitute. She hated this life. She wanted to live a genuine peaceful life. But had she that luck?

    In between, Gautama, the Prince of Kapilvastu, renounced his kingdom and all the riches. He sacrificed all earthly comforts and luxury in search of eternal peace. He attained enlightenment after long years of austerity.

    He became the Buddha, Gautama Buddha. He started preaching the eight fold path of spirituality. He started teaching Vipassana meditation, the path of Sheela, Samadhi and Panyya. His preaching attracted a large number of people. Magadha, Vaishali, Kashi, and Koshala all the states of ancient India were flooded with his followers.

    Amrapali heard of the Buddha and of his preaching. She wanted to meet him to listen to his enlightened doctrines. She managed to do so and became his devotee. She proposed The Buddha to take her in his Sangha (Organization) as a bhikkhuni (Nun), but the Buddha refused to do so. He told her that there was no arrangement for bhikkhuni in the Sangha. Only bhikkhus (monks) are allowed in the Sangha.

    Amrapali asked boldly why the arrangement was like that. The Buddha replied that a woman could break the sanctity of the monks. Amrapali again argued with courage whether the monks of the Buddha were so weak that they could break their vow if in touch with a woman. Buddha could not reply and took the most beautiful woman in his Sangha.

    This historical novel will tell you the story of love and sacrifice that will overshadow all other stories which you may have already gone through. This book is inspired by true historical incidents which took place during the lifetime of Lord Buddha, before Christ.

    A lot of research was done before giving the sequence of events a shape of a novel. The care has been taken to keep the language simple, for it was originally written in Sanskrit and Pali language, so that it could be read and enjoyed by even a casual reader.

    Rajasir

    Chapter 2

    Part One

    Chiranjeev, what is the use of your existence?

    I don’t want to make my wife widow.

    You have no right to live!

    Why?

    You are a man but you don’t possess the soul of a man!

    Really?

    Yes, you are a warrior but useless, you…you are a human…but you are a stone!

    Wow! Wow!! Thanks for the beautiful compliment! But would you please tell me, Sudhir, despite being a human, why am I no different from a stone? bending his head low, humorous Chiranjeev said to Sudhir in a teasing manner.

    Sudhir’s blood boiled and he wished he could smash the bent head of Chiranjeev, and then be ready for the punishment according to the Praveni-Book (a kind of written constitution, written on palm leaves), and be ready for the Hell after the execution, but he had to suppress his anger because there was no other way. He continued, Chiranjeev, you are not only a stone, but a lump of clay, do you understand? You can’t be relied upon. You are not my friend, you….

    Sudhir! interrupted Chiranjeev, raising his head, You name the person and I will kill him, I am ready to sacrifice my life, but you enter a house for a girl, in a strange village, and I keep on waiting for you, I can’t bear…it can’t be tolerated!

    Chiranjeev! suddenly Sudhir rushed towards Chiranjeev and protested, Don’t you dare call her a girl, Amrapali is a woman, and not a girl, do you understand?

    All right, she is a woman, a very beautiful woman, a miracle, a fairy, a nymph, all right! From our village to this Vaishali Nagar (a small town) whatever you muttered about her is absolutely correct, but should I stand on guard for you. I am not so tolerant! If you love her, you are free to do so, if you want to commit suicide in her house, you are free to do that too, I don’t care, but I am a Lichhivi, a Kshatriya! I can’t let myself in your penance for Amrapali. I must be present in the Royal Court. Why should I leave the assembly of the brave Lichhivi Kings, who meet once or twice in three months, to be your doorman? Never.

    Love is not as strange as the lover is, annoyed Sudhir relented a bit, and continued,Chiranjeev, my dear friend, don’t say this; it won’t take much time! You recite Lord Buddha’s name one hundred times, and I will be back.

    I have not yet adopted Shakya-son Gautam’s religion! said Chiranjeev gravely.

    Not comprehending, Sudhir said, I am disturbed and you are jesting, Chiranjeev! Having reached the palace, if I shoot an arrow, you understand that the objective has been achieved; the arrow will fall near your feet. You know that you can’t beat me when it comes to archery! Say ‘Yes’ Chiranjeev; say ‘Yes’ otherwise all my labour will be lost! Then will reach the convention hall in time.

    But…

    Enough… cutting him short, Sudhir said, You have not seen Amrapali and that is why you are hesitating, but once if you see her…

    Then? When did you see her? Five years ago? That was not your age of admiring women’s beauty. I was with you, I did not see Amrapali and neither did you. Idiot, many a young lads admires Amrapali without ever having seen her, do you know that? There is nothing new in what you say!

    Chiranjeev, you are married, you will not understand my condition!

    "O.K. When do married couples happen to be young?

    For some time there was complete silence. Suddenly, signs of made up resentment and humour appeared on Chiranjeev’s face, and he shouted, Stupid, does any lover boy waste his time on such talk? The son of Lichhivi, youth of Nandigram, friend of Chiranjeev! Go fast! Jump! Otherwise some other youth of Vaishali will be more fortunate than you…

    Before Chiranjeev could complete his sentence, Sudhir disappeared into the grand palace of King Mahanam of Vaishali. With a faint smile on his countenance, Chiranjeev began to wipe drops of tears off his broad forehead.

    Sudhir and Chiranjeev were young, the radiance of youth was present in every part of their bodies; the pure Lichhivi blood was boiling in their veins! A few moments ago they had come to Vaishali from a village not so far from Vaishali.

    In India of 2000 B.C., in Jumbu Island, remembering the Lichhivi dynasty, every Kshatriya youth felt a kind of pride.

    The description of those hugely talented Lichhivies, i.e. the story of the free subjects is the story of freedom; in fact it is the story of unity. It was said that Himalaya could be shattered but the infringement of the line of Lichhivies was impossible. People believed that the Lichhivies were insurmountable. Lord Buddha had also said in one of his discourse that so long as the Lichhivies have integrity and unity, no one can defeat them.

    Such were the Lichhivies- warriors: impregnable, fearless and acute lovers!

    The Lichhivi kingdom was strange. They were called Kshatriya; they had always maintained their relations with Kshatriya dynasties, but in traditions and customs they followed their forefathers; no emperor ruled over them; they did not know slavery. Only after succeeding in a war, every Lichhivi thought his life worthwhile. Wherever they went they were triumphant, when they lost they reemerged. Magadh, Kaushal, Shakya, Kashi, the glory of all these kingdoms was faded before the Lichhivies. Their arrows and their love were reckoned as precise. In the Lichhivi state, the rulers of the small provinces were called Raja. All these kings and rulers, on certain days of a year, in case of necessity, would meet in the capital Vaishali. They would assemble in the main convention hall. They would discuss the social, political, and other issues important to Lichhivi society and country. Everyone was free to express his views, and fight in need. In case of a heated argument, in the absence of a way out to find a solution, the holy book Praveni-Book of the Lichhivies was consulted and accordingly the ultimate decisions were taken. Once the decision was taken, no one could object to it, for it was considered treason and sin. True and ideal democracy prevailed then. In the lap of the Himalayas, this Lichhivi kingdom was the most beautiful in the subcontinent.

    The Lichhivies didn’t approve of the Vedas; they did not pay importance to Brahmins; because they didn’t like to waste money on useless feasts. They didn’t follow the four caste system, all were free to exist, speak, and lead their lives. Therefore, in spite of having relations with other countries, and living according to their traditions and being called

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