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STORIES PRECEDING BHAGAWÄN MAHÄVIR
Karma. He therefore decided to teach her a lesson - the hard way. He asked his men to find the ugliest man in Ujjayini. The men spotted Umar Ränä and brought him to the court. In utter disdain, the king instantly got Mayanä married to Umar. He gave them some basic things and a small house and asked Mayanä to undergo the result of her Karma. Rupsundari, the mother queen, was very unhappy at the sudden turn of events in her daughter's life, but she could not speak against her husband's will. On the other hand, the king looked for a suitable match for Sursundari in appreciation of her replies and got her married to prince Aridaman of Shankhapuri.
Princess Mayanä marrying Shripal
Mayana was deeply religious. She accepted Shripäl in the guise of Umar as her husband and took care of him. She went to temples and heard the sermons of monks (Sädhus) along with him. One day Mayanasundari and her husband went to see Jain Achärya Munichandra and talked about their problems and his leprosy disease. The Acharya was a well-known scholar of the time. He advised them to go through the penance of Äyambil Oli, known as Navapad (nine pious entities) penance, which can cure all types of diseases. They had to do this for four and half years which results in Nine Äyambil - Oli (one every six months)
The Navapad Ärädhanä (pujä) is observed by meditation and practicing a penance called Äyambil. One meditates upon Arihanta, Siddha, Achärya, Upadhyay, Sädhus (Pancha Paramesthi), Jnän (knowledge), Darshan (faith), Charitra (conduct), and Tapa (penance) known as Navapad. Äyambil is observed by having only one meal a day of very plain food without any spices, milk, sugar, salt, oil, butter, fruits or
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