Punia Shravak

Author(s): JAINA Education Committee
Publisher: JAINA Education Committee
Catalog link: https://jainqq.org/explore/201066/1

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PUNIA SHRAVAK 26 Punia Shravak Punia Shravak and his wife were poor villagers by their own choice. They lived in a small hut made of mud and grass. Punia had taken a vow not to earn more than the minimum needed to survive, which at that time was 12 Dokadas (1/12 of a rupee) a day, which he earned by spinning and selling cotton yarn. He had also taken another vow to offer food to virtuous people daily. As they could not afford to have more food to satisfy this vow, he would fast one day and his wife would fast the next day. In spite of their being so poor, they always offered their hospitality to fellow beings. In this way, the couple helped deserving people every day. Punia Shravak did Samayika (48 minutes of meditation and equanimity) daily. Once during Samayika he could not meditate properly. He wondered what he had done that was disturbing his meditation but could not think of a reason. Therefore, he asked his wife, "What have we done different today that I cannot meditate properly?" At first his wife could not think of anything either. But as she continued thinking, she remembered that while returning from the market, she had picked up dry cow manure from the street and used that as cooking fire. She told Punia about this. He told her that they should not take anything from anywhere unless it is bought from their own daily earnings. Even though dry cow manure lying on the street has no value and does not belong to anybody, they did not have the right to take it. Punia could do a true Samayika because he lived a life of such high morals. Even Lord Mahavir praised his Samayika ritual in his sermon. Once King Shrenik asked Lord Mahavir how he could destroy his bad Karmas to avoid being born in hell in his next life. He was ready to give up his entire kingdom for that. Lord Mahavir knew that it is not possible to change such Karma (birth Karma of the next life) once acquired by a person. However to convey this message properly to the King, he said, "If you can buy the Punya Karma of one Samayika from Punia Shravak then it may be possible to change the birth Karma of your next life.' 800000000 5000000000088 00000 Dovou 00000 bov000000000 King Shrenik's wealth is insignificant compared to the Samayika punya of Punia Shravak JAIN STORY BOOK For Private Personal Use Only 103 www.saineilmaty.org in Education inte national

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STORIES DURING BHAGAWAN MAHAVIR'S LIFE King Shrenik went to Punia Shravak and requested the Punya Karma of one of his Samayika. King Shrenik was ready to give his entire kingdom for this purchase. Punia Shravak said, "Sir, I do not need any money. You have given us all the things we need in our life. I am ready to give everything I possess including my life for you. You are a great and merciful king. However I do not know how to give my Samayika Punya to you. Good Karma cannot be purchased. One has to do good Karma personally." King Shrenik asking for Samayika Punya from Punia Shravak Now King Shrenik realized that all his wealth could not buy Punya Karma of even one Samayika from a very poor man of his kingdom. King Shrenik left disappointed but with admiration for Punia's real faith in religion. This story shows that one can live a life of contentment even with limited earnings. We should not take anything that is not given to us. We should not accumulate more money than necessary to live. Vows or rituals are done for spiritual upliftment and not for monetary gain. To gain benefit from Samayika and other forms of meditation and penance, they should be motivated by one's inner self and not by any motives that conflict with Jain principles. 104 JAIN STORY BOOK