z:\ ambedkar\vol 011\vol11 03.indd MK SJ+YS 5 10 2013/YS 18 11 2013 198
198 DR. BABASAHEB AMBEDKAR : WRITINGS AND SPEECHES
- The girl shouted and said, “Close the door and do not allow him to go out. I shall see that he becomes my husband this very night.”
II
The mother did what the girl wanted her to do. As night fell the mother brought in the room a bed. The girl, dressed in her best, stepped in. But Ananda remained unmoved.
The mother at last used her sorcery. As a result a fire broke out in the room. The mother then held Ananda by his clothes and said, “If you will not agree to marry my daughter, I will throw you in this fire.” However, Ananda did not yield, and the mother and the daughter feeling helpless, left him free.
Ananda on his return told the Blessed Lord all that had happened.
On the second day the girl came to Jetavana in search of Ananda. Ananda was going out for alms. Ananda saw her and wanted to avoid her. But the girl followed him wherever he went.
When Ananda returned to Jetavana he found the girl waiting at the door of his Vihar.
Ananda told the Blessed One how the girl was pursuing him. The Blessed One sent for her.
When the girl appeared before him the Blessed One asked her why she was pursuing Ananda. The girl replied that she was intent on marrying him “I have heard he is unmarried and I am also unmarried.”
The Bhagavan said, “Ananda is a Bhikku and he has no hair on his head. If you can get yourself clean shaven I shall see what could be done.”
The girl replied, “I am prepared for it.” The Bhagavan said, “You must get your mother’s permission for undergoing tonsure.”
The girl returned to her mother and said, “Mother! I have achieved what you failed to achieve. The Bhagavan has promised to get me married to Ananda if I undergo tonsure.”
The mother grew angry and said, “You must not do that. You are my daughter and you must keep hair. Why are you so eager to marry a Shramana