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Stories Of The Sadhu
Jain Education International
Jain Society of Greater Detroit
PRATISHTHA MAHOTSAV JUNE 27-JULY 6 1998 AR
NAVANGI ABHAYDEVSURI (Vir S. 1134-39)
Mahidhr Sheth and Dhaandevi of Dhaara Nagar had a son Abhaykumar who was very intelligent. He took diksha at a young age and became an acharya. As a result of severe penances he developed a disfiguring skin disease. However his integrity was doubted and aspersions were cast on his character by the people of the sangh, with it being said that he was a heretic and that his
preachings were against Jainism. He was unhappy about this and meditated and prayed to the dev Dharanendra who advised him to go to Khambhatt and meditate at a place where a farmer's cow, on its own, would be giving milk. With his meditation he pleased another dev and a statue of Parshvanathji came up out of the ground. He got cured by water that had been used to bathe the idol (abhishek). Abhaydevsuri wrote
Navangsutraabhay after he was inspired by the shaasan deity. He got the garb of angels and gave it to King Bhimdev who gave three lakhs of rupees which went toward the printing of "Navangsutra". He is famous because of the "Navangisutra" and "Navangi Abhaydev". The statue of Parshvanath still exists in Khambhatt.
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