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The Mahapurana is a delight to the learned and a pleasure to the common people. This Purana is both beneficial and enjoyable, and thus it satisfies everyone completely. ||45|| This Purana, thus completed, will surely remain in this world until the end of the age. With this enthusiasm, I now begin the narration of the story. ||46||
(Thus ends the introduction.)
Now, King Shrenik, having drunk the nectar of the excellent character of Lord Vrishabhadeva, was eager to taste the rest, like someone who has a delicious morsel in their hand. ||47|| He stood up in the middle of the assembly, folded his hands, bowed his head slightly, and then prayed to Gautam Ganadhar, saying, "O Lord, by your grace, I have heard this excellent Purana of Lord Vrishabhadeva. Just as Lord Vrishabhadeva attained Nirvana at the end of this Purana and became happy, so too have I become very happy by hearing it. It is said that in the Tirthankara of Lord Vrishabhadeva, there was a king named Jayakumar, the best among all kings, who conquered even Arkakirti and whose glory is still renowned on earth. During his Digvijaya, he conquered Meghakumar, for which even Emperor Bharat himself removed his warrior's belt and tied it around him. Just as Vrishabhadeva was the first among Tirthankaras, Emperor Bharat was the first among Chakravartis, and King Shreyans was the first among those who established the tradition of giving charity, so too was he the first to establish the practice of Swayamvara. He, who had made a vow in battle, single-handedly defeated and bound Lord Vrishabhadeva's grandson, Arkakirti, in a mere playful manner. And then there were Vrishabhasena, Kumbha, Dridharatha, Shatadhanu, Devasharma, Devabha, Nandan, Somadatta, Suradatta, who was superior in qualities, Vayusharma, Yashobahu, Devagni, Agnidev, Agnigupta, Mitraagni, Halabhrut,