Angulimala - 25

Angulimala attacks villagers
 

by G. K. Ananda Kumarasiri

As news of the killings spread, hardly anyone used the roads passing through the Jalini Forest. The main cart-tracks between Kosala and Magadha became deserted. This meant there were fewer victims for Angulimala to attack. The situation drove him to think of alternative ways to secure his angulis.

Out of desperation he decided to attack people living along the fringes of the Jalini Forest. He entered villages bordering the forest under cover of the darkness of night, killing people unlucky enough to be outside at that time. Village folks were soon alerted to Angulimala's attacks.

They avoided leaving their homes after dusk and remained indoors with their doors and windows heavily bolted. Finding new victims became tougher for Angulimala, he became more desperate for angulis.

He then began to forcibly enter homes and kill entire families for their little fingers. At this point, Angulimala had become crazed. He killed without thinking. He was obsessed with only one aim, that is, to collect one thousand angulis as fast as he could.

Villagers living on the edge of the Jalini Forest fearing for their lives abandoned their homes. No one was brave enough to stand up against the might and savagery that was Angulimala. The displaced villagers trekked to the capital city of Savatthi to plead with King Pasenadi to deliver them from the murderous Angulimala.

To be continued

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