Sambodhi 1978 Vol 07

SR No.: 520757
Original Sutra Author: N/A
Author: Dalsukh Malvania, H C Bhayani, Nagin J Shah
Publisher: L D Indology Ahmedabad
Publication Year: 1978
Total Pages: 358
Language: English, Sanskrit, Prakrit, Gujarati
Classification: Magazine, India_Sambodhi, & India
File Size: 9 MB

Page 113

Self-Immolation
He maintained eight crores of gold coins as reserved money, eight crores for acquiring interest and eight crores for expansion by way of trade and industry. He had thirteen wives, of which Revati was the foremost. Like Ananda Mahasayaga too was inspired with a deep feeling of renunciation after hearing the religious preachins from the lord Mahavira. But as he could not forsake the house he became a lay worshipper a and imposed upon himself all kinds of restrictions, which at one time Ananda adopted too.
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Among the wives of Mahisayaga Reval was extremely cruel, mean and jealous. She made a plan to kill all the co-wives, appropriate their treasures and enjoy coarse pleasures with her husband. She killed the twelve cowives according to the plan and took all their treasures. She took to a very licentious coarse of life, consumed fleshes of animals and drank wine. She infact surpassed all limits in both the affairs of the consumption of meat and wine. At one time the king of Rajagṛha prohibited the killing of animals in his kingdom. But as she could not live without taking meat she managed to bring two calves from her own stables, which she inherited from her father as paternal property along with other kinds of treasures. Thus she satisfied her greed for meat by killing them although they were surreptitiously smuggled into her house from her father's place.
Like Ananda Mahasayaga too passed fourteen years performing multifarious kinds of restraints, pious deeds, abstinences, renunciations, fasts (सीलव्ययगुणवेरमणपञ्चवाण-पोसहोयवास) etc. He then decides to leave the house to devote himself more vigorously to the religious austerities in the 'posaha house. He places his eldest son in charge of his family and comes to the secluded holy place for achieving his spiritual advancement.
At this time Reval severely drunken due to excessive consumption of liquor appeared before her husband in the fast-room. She had no upper garment and her hairs were dishevelled completely. She expressed amorous sentiments and feelings. She tried to dissuade Mahasayaga from performing religious practices and urged him to come back to the world for enjoying sensual pleasures. But Mahasayaga remained calm and unruffled. He did not pay any heed to her words.
Suddenly the idea flashed into him to perform more rigorous rites. and penances. He resolved to be engrossed in deeper meditation of food and drink. His body becomes emaciated. These rigorous observances endowed him with the spiritual power, the Avadhijñāna, by which he could see far beyond the range of the human eyes.