The Epitome of Queen Lilavati

The Epitome of Queen Lilávati tells the stories of the lives of a group of souls as they pass through a series of embodiments on their way to final liberation from the continual cycle of death and rebirth. It abounds in memorable incidents and characters, such as Dhana, the rich merchant who attempted to justify cheating in trade, Padma·ratha, who while invisible attempted to seduce the ladies of the royal household, and Vasun·dhara, the bogus holy man who was caught in a compromising position with a female dog. The purpose of these stories, which are related to Queen Lilávati and her husband King Simha by the teacher-monk Sámara·sena, is to promote the ethic of Jainism, which holds that strict adherence to a nonviolent way of life is the key to liberation from the troubles of the world. In the end, Queen Lilávati, King Simha and the other leading characters attain perfect knowledge and liberation.