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her silky hair reappeared on her bald head, the earthen pot turned to a golden pot, and the stale rice turned into savoury food. Bhagavāna accepted with complete detachment a little food from her in his cupped palms and returned to the jungle.
Gods in the sky and humans in the city praised Candanā's fortune. Just then the merchant returned. He was pleased at the good fortune of her daughter and angry at the behaviour of his wife. This incident of offering of food by Candanā to Bhagavāna became the talk of the town. The news reached the palace as well. The queen of the Vatsa State, Mpgāvatī, was curious to meet this unique and lucky woman who got the opportunity to offer alms to Bhagavāna. She came to the house of merchant Vrşabhadatta and met Candanā. She was taken aback to find that the woman she had come to meet was none other than her own sister. She heard Candana's story and took her along to the palace. From there her brother Simhabhadra took her to Vaiśālī. This bitter experience filled Candanā with detachment even at that early age. When Bhagavāna attained omniscience, Candanā came to him and got initiated by him as an āryikā. In due course, with her ability and spiritual accomplishments, she became the head of the organization of 36,000 äryikās.
Rejecting the savoury food of palaces Bhagavāna accepted stale rice from a slave girl. This incident drew attention of the masses towards the appalling consequences of slavery. This, in due course, resulted in total abolition of slavery in India.
THE OMNISCIENCE
After twelve years of rigorous austerities and spiritual practices and remaining completely silent throughout, Bhagavāna came to banks of Rjukūlā River near Jşmbhika village and sat in meditation. He destroyed all perversions and vitiating karmas and acquired the quartet of infinites including Kevala-jñāna on Vaišākha sukla tenth. He became an embodied supreme-soul (Paramātmā).
ESTABLISHING THE RELIGIOUS ORDER
Bhagavāna sat on a throne in the middle of the Samavasaraņa. The divine pavilion was filled with innumerable gods, humans, and
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Jain Education International
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| SR No. | 001605 |
| Book Title | Introduction to Jainism and its Culture |
| Original Sutra Author | N/A |
| Author | Balbhadra Jain |
| Publisher | Kundkund Gyanpith Indore |
| Publication Year | 2002 |
| Total Pages | 334 |
| Language | English |
| Classification | Book_English, Religion, & Culture |
| File Size | 21 MB |