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PART V STORIES AFTER BHAGAWAN MAHÄVIR
Lachchhi was a compassionate lady. As she knew the newcomers were Jains, she took them home and treated them as her guests for a couple of days. Then she gave them an old house for shelter. Udayan settled there and started a small business. Luck favored him and within a short time he earned and saved enough to renovate the old house. While digging the ground, he came across a hidden treasure. Since he was honest, he took the treasure to Lachchhi and offered it to her because it belonged to her. She declined to accept it, stating that since the property had been given to him, the treasure also belonged to him.
Udayan now had enough money to start a large-scale business. He made lots of money, and in due course became the wealthiest man in Karnavati. The state also recognized his status and gave him the position of the first citizen of Karnävati. In that capacity, he rendered valuable service to the people of Karnävati.
At that time, the city of Khambhät (about 80 miles from Amdäväd) was the most lucrative seaport on the western coast of India. Politicians competed with one another to get the position of governor of that city. Due to the proven capability of Udayan, he was appointed governor of Khambhät in 1120 A.D. He held that position for a fairly long period. Two major events have been attributed to him during his tenure as governor.
⚫ At the suggestion of the queen mother, Minaldevi, he abolished the pilgrim tax of Bholäd
⚫ He helped Devchandra suri to initiate a five-year old boy, Chängdev, who had the potential to shine as a great sage. (Later on Chängdev became the great Jain Ächärya Shri Hemchandra)
His loyalty to the King was unquestionable. He hesitated to help Kumärpäl, who was roaming from town to town hiding from King Siddharäj. However, when Kumärpäl came to Khambhät in search of shelter, Hemchandrächärya advised Udayan to help him. Since Udayan highly respected the Ächärya, he agreed to hide Kumärpäl in his basement. Shortly thereafter, King Siddharäj died and Kumärpäl became King of Gujarat. King Kumärpäl kept Udayan in his position as governor of Khambhät and later brought him to Pätan (capital city of Gujarat) to work as his trusted advisor.
Udayan had not forgotten how religion had helped him during his bad times. He therefore used his wealth and position to promote Jainism. As a token of his devotion to the faith, he constructed several Jain temples. Three of them are recorded in Jain history. One was the temple known as Udayanvihär in Karnävati, another was Udävasahi in Dholkä (nearby town of Karnävati), and the third one whose name is not recorded was in Khambhät.
During the latter part of Udayan's life, Kumärpäl sent him to subdue Sumvar, a notorious bandit in the Saurashtra region. In that mission, he had to pass through Pälitänä. He decided to go on a pilgrimage to Shatrunjay hill. To commemorate the pilgrimage, his statue has been erected on a camel's back in a small temple on the way to the main complex on the hill. That place is now mistakenly known as Päp Punya Ni Bäri (window of good and bad karma).
At that time, there was a wooden temple on the hill. While Udayan was worshipping there, he saw a mouse take a lit wick in its mouth and roam about. Udayan recovered the wick from the mouse, but he realized that the temple could have been set on fire by a mouse. He, therefore, vowed to construct a new temple there.
He succeeded in his expedition against Sumvar, but he was badly wounded in combat, and his death was imminent. On his death bed he told his sons about his vow to reconstruct a new temple on Shatrunjay hill. They promised him that they would fulfill his vow. Thereafter, he died peacefully knowing his vow would be fulfilled.
Ambad and Bahad
Udayan had four sons, named Ämbad, Bähad, Chähad, and Sollak. Ämbad was a poet and a bold warrior. He became the chancellor of King Kumärpäl. He constructed the western walkway on Shatrunjay hill, now known as Gheti Ni Pag. He expanded Udävasahi of Dholkä and renovated the well-known temple of Shakunikävihär at Bharuch.
Ämbad had pledged his allegiance to Kumärpäl and served him with utmost sincerity and loyalty. When Kumärpäl's successor, King Ajaypäl, came to the throne, he began to undo everything Kumärpäl had stood for. As a result, Ämbad decided to resist him with all the means at his command. Ajaypal sent troops to subdue him. Ämbad, however, refused to be subdued and died fighting Ajaypal's troops.
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