Mahavira his Times and his Philosophy of Life

SR No.: 006504
Original Sutra Author: N/A
Author: Harilal Jain, A N Upadhye
Publisher: Bharatiya Gyanpith
Publication Year: 1977
Total Pages: 70
Language: English
Classification: Book_English, History, & Philosophy
File Size: 4 MB

Page 37

with her, being captivated by her beauty. Secretly he kindnapped her. But being afraid that his wife Manovegā might get angry with him, he left Candanā in a park, Bhūtaramana, on the right bank of the river Irāvati. There Candanā met a Bhilla, Syāmārika by name. He presented her respectfully to his king Simha by name. The Bhilla chief entrusted her to Mitra-vara who was in the service of Rşabhasena, a rich merchant of Kausāmbi, to whom finally she was led. But Bhadrā, the wife of the merchant became jealous of her and kept her as a slave girl in her service. One day when Mahāvīra came to Kaušāmbi, Candană offered food to him with great devotion. Thereby Candanā became well known in Kausāmbi; and the report about this reached the ears of her elder sister Mrgāvati. Mrgāvati, accompanied by prince Udayana, came to the house of the Sreşthin, i.e., banker-cum-merchant and took Candană with her to the palace. By this time Candanā had developed a temper of detachment from worldly ties. She sought shelter with Mahāvīra and accepted dikşā or renunciation under him. In due course, Candanā became the leader of the Sangha of nuns (āryikā) under Mahāvīra. Such are the details about the family connections and prosperity of king Cetaka of Vaiśāli available in the Jaina purānas. His relations with the contemporary ruling families are obvious. King Cetaka's daughter Priyakāriņi was the mother of Mahāvīra; and his daughters Celanā and Mrgāvati were married respectively to Śreņika, king of Magadha, and Satānika, king of Kausāmbi.
(b) Sreņika Bimbisāra : King of Magadha Sreņika, king of Magadha, had long-standing and thick relations with lord Mahāvița . Much of the traditional account in Jaina purānas begins with the questions of Sreņika and the answers of Mahāvīra or of his chief gañadhara (i.e., leader of the congregation). Major details of it can be found in the Mahāvīra-purāņu of Puşpadanta, samdhis 6-11. There is no doubt about the historicity of this king.
36