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BHAGAWAN NEMINÄTH
04 Bhagawän Neminäth
Long time ago the Yadava clan had settled on the banks of the River Yamunä in India. Mathura and Sauripura were the major centers of the Yadava community. They are located in the present-day state of Uttar Pradesh. The Yadava king, Samudravijay, was ruling over Sauripura with his wife, Shivädevi. Lord Neminäth was born to them and was named Nemkumär. When he was in his mother's womb, she dreamt of a series of black jewels, called Arista. He is therefore also known as Aristanemi.
King Väsudev, the younger brother of king Samudravijay was the king of Mathurä. He had two queens. Queen Rohini had a son named Balräm (Padma) and Queen Devaki had a son named Shri Krishna. Both Balräm and Shri Krishna were the ninth Baldev and Väsudev as per Jain tradition. Shri Krishna is the incarnation of Lord Vishnu (God) in Hindu religion.
During this time hunting was a favorite sport and gambling was considered a respectable activity. Animals were sacrificed on the altar in religious ceremonies, and non-vegetarian diet was very popular.
Also at this time, the whole area of central India had been disturbed due to the prevailing conspiracies among various kingdoms. King Kamsa and the oppressive king Jaräsangha of Magadha were the worst. King Jaräsangha was Prativasudev as per Jain tradition,
In order to protect the people and get away from these everyday problems, various kings of the Yädava clan, including Samudravijay, Väsudev, Ugrasen, and Shri Krishna migrated from Mathura and Sauripura to the West Coast of Gujarat, India. Shri Krishna constructed the large and beautiful town of Dvärkä on the seacoast near the Raivatak (Girnar) Mountain. Its grand architecture and strong fortification made it heavenly, beautiful and unconquerable.
Ugrasen became the king of Junagadh, situated on the other side of the foothills of Mount Girnar. By his wife Dhärini, he had a daughter named Räjimati or Räjul. She was a very beautiful and graceful young girl. Many princes were eager to marry her. However, when she came to know of Nemkumar she became captivated by him and desired to marry him. King Ugrasen sent a request of Räjul's engagement to Nemkumär. After considerable effort, friends and family persuaded Nemkumär to become engaged to Räjul. With much hesitation, he agreed. Everyone was happy as Nem and Räjul would make an ideal couple. The two were engaged and an auspicious day was fixed for their wedding ceremony.
Nemkumär's wedding procession
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TIRTHANKARS
For King Ugrasen, the wedding of his beloved daughter was a once in a life time occasion. He made elaborate wedding arrangements. On the wedding day, a large number of people joined the gorgeous wedding ceremony. Nemkumär mounted his chariot, specially decorated for the wedding. When the procession was approaching their destination, he heard the sobbing sounds of animals. Moreover, on the side of the road, he saw large fenced areas and cages full of wailing animals and birds. Filled with sympathy and compassion, he asked the charioteer why those animals and birds were kept in bondage.
The charioteer informed him that the wailing sound was coming from the birds and animals that were to be slaughtered for the wedding dinner. Nemkumär could not bear the idea of violence being caused on the account of his wedding. He asked the charioteer to free all the animals and birds. He started
thinking about how to prevent such violence. 'Can there be a way of life that would extend peace and security to every living being?' he asked himself. As he thought deep into the matter, it was clear to him that he should explore a way for the well-being of all. He visualized that after marriage he might get too involved in worldly life. Then it would be hard for him to embark upon such an exploration. He realized that the present was the right time for him to explore the truth that would lead to the happiness of every living being. Therefore,
he decided not to get married. All the animals and birds are released at Nemkumar's request
Everyone on the bridegroom's side was taken aback by his decision. His friends and close relatives tried to dissuade him from his decision. He calmly explained that his mission was to explore freedom from misery for all living beings. He further explained that, "As these animals were prisoners in their cages, we all are prisoners in the cages of Karma which are much stronger than these fences. The feeling of joy is evident in the animals released from the cages. Happiness is in freedom, not in bondage. I want to find the path of breaking this bondage of Karma and embrace eternal bliss. Please do not stop me." Then he asked the charioteer to turn back.
After returning to his kingdom, Nemkumär spent one year donating all his belongings to the poor and the needy and then left his royal palace and went to the nearby Raivata garden. Under an Ashok tree, he took off all his ornaments and the royal dress, and pulled out five fistfuls of hair. He became an ascetic along with one thousand people. Shri Krishna, deeply touched by this incident, blessed his cousin and wished him success in his mission.
Monk Nemkumär went to mount Girnar. He stood motionless, intensely meditating, trying to find the cause of all unhappiness. He realized that ignorance of the true nature of the Self led to wrong perception,
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________________ BHAGAWAN NEMINATH and consequent wrong actions resulted in all sorts of misery and pain. He therefore dwelled deep into the Self. After spending fifty-four days in deep spiritual meditation at Mount Girnar, Neminath destroyed all his Ghati Karmas which were obscuring the true nature and power of the soul. He attained Kevaljnan and became an omniscient. He established the four-fold religious order (This Chaturvidha Sangha is known as a Tirtha) and became the twenty-second Tirthankar of the Jain religion. Thereafter, he lived a long life preaching the path of liberation to the common people. Friends consoling Princess Rajul At the time when Neminath decided to renounce his worldly life, Rajul was being adorned by her girl friends. She was eagerly waiting for the arrival of her Nemkumar as the bridegroom. Then they heard the news that Nemkumar had turned back. No one could understand his decision. Rajul was in utter grief. A calamity had overtaken her all of a sudden! Her friends tried to console her in that hour of crisis. Some of them started cursing Nemkumar for putting their beloved friend in such a miserable condition. Some advised her to forget the unpredictable Nemkumar and look for another suitable match. In her heart, Rajul had accepted Nemkumar as her husband. She could not even think of any other person taking his place. She did not like anyone cursing Nemkumar or speaking poorly of him. She had some spiritual orientation also. When she came to know of the real cause of his renouncement, she was able to overcome her grief. She realized that Nemkumar had left for a commendable purpose. She could appreciate his mission. She thought that the best way for her was to follow his footsteps. She absorbed herself in religious practices. When Rajul heard that Neminath had become an omniscient she went to the Samavasaran along with many of her friends and took Diksha. She absorbed herself in meditation and penance and spent the rest of her life as the head of the nuns' order. In the end, after destroying all her Karmas she attained liberation. Bhagawan Neminath's life is a good example of compassion towards animals. The killing and torture of animals on his account rekindled his passion for the search for complete freedom from misery. Rajul was a noble princess who appreciated Nemkumar's search for truth and happily followed him. JAIN STORY BOOK 31