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सोलहवाँ अध्ययन : अमरकंका
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Jain Education International
At last she was born as Sukumalika, the daughter of merchant Sagardatt in Champa city. She was married to Sagar, the son of another merchant. As her touch was as painful as that of fire her husband abandoned her the very first night. Her father once again married her to a beggar, but he also could not tolerate her touch and ran away. In the end she turned into an ascetic and started harsh penance. But her inner lust remained as it was. One day she was doing some penance in a garden against the order of her guru. She saw a courtesan enjoying carnal pleasures with five men and was inspired to imagine that, if there was any benefit of the harsh penance she was doing, she wished to enjoy such pleasure during her next birth. She turned this wish into an ambition. Gradually she became lax in her discipline. After her death she reincarnated as Draupadi, the daughter of King Drupad of Panchal.
When Draupadi reached marriageable age her father organized a Svayamvar so that she could select a suitable match on her own. He invited brave and glorious kings from all over the country. When Draupadi saw five Pandav brothers sitting in a group she was inspired by her ambition from her last birth and she chose all the five brothers as her husbands. Once the sage Narad visited King Pandu's palace in Hastinapur. Considering Narad to be an indisciplined sage Draupadi did not extend him due courtesy and honour. Narad was peeved and went and instigated King Padmanabh of Amarkanka city in Dhatkikhand continent the evil deed. With the help of a friendly god Padmanabh abducted Draupadi. In hope of liberation Draupadi managed to get a reprieve for six months from Padmanabh and started doing penance.
In the meantime when king Pandu could not find Draupadi in spite of all his efforts he sought help from Krishna Vasudev. Krishna took the Pandavs along to Amarkanka and challenged King Padmanabh. Pandays were defeated by Padmanabh in the ensuing battle. Finally Krishna himself used his powers and defeated Padmanabh. He got Draupadi released and brought her to the Pandavs.
CHAPTER-16: AMARKANKA
( १६५ )
On the way back the Pandavs hid the boat on the bank of the Ganges to test Krishna's powers. Krishna lifted his chariot in one hand and swam across the great river. When he came to know about the mischief of Pandavs he got angry and ordered the exile of Pandavs.
When Pandu came to know of this he sent Kunti to pacify Krishna. Krishna relented slightly and asked Pandavs to found a new town-Pandu Mathura-and live there. The Pandavs did accordingly. In a later part of their lives, the Pandavs and Draupadi became ascetics. The Pandavs went to Shatrunjaya mountain and achieved liberation. Draupadi also engaged in study and penance to shed Karmas. After her death she reincarnated as a god and will attain liberation after reincarnating in Mahavideh area.
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