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BHAGAWÄN PÄRSHVANÄTH
05-Bhagawan Parshvanáth
About 3000 years ago, King Ashvasen was ruling over the Kingdom of Väränasi, also known as Banäras, situated on the banks of the holy River Gangä. He was a benevolent and a popular ruler and lived peacefully with his queen, Vämädevi. On the 10th day of the dark half of the month of Märgashirsh (which usually falls in December), Queen Vämädevi gave birth to a son. In memory of observing a passing snake during her pregnancy, her newborn son was named Pärshva-kumär, because in the Sanskrit language 'Pärshva' means "nearby or in the vicinity".
Pärshva grew up in the midst of wealth and happiness and became a very attractive young man known for his courtesy, bravery, and valor. Many kings were eager to have their daughters marry him, and eventually Prince Pärshva-kumar was married to Prabhävati, a princess from a neighboring kingdom. The wedding ceremony was performed with much splendor and Pärshva-kumär enjoyed a blissful married life with Prabhävati.
Pärshva kumär reciting the Namaskär Mangal Sutra to the half burnt
snake
In the vicinity, there lived a mendicant named Kamath. During his childhood he had lost his parents and was raised as an orphan. Disgusted with his miserable life he became a mendicant. As a mendicant, he had no material possessions and lived on the charity of others. He practiced severe penance and performed rituals called Panchagni (five fires). When he came to Väränasi to perform the ritual, many people were impressed by his penance and therefore worshipped him.
When Pärshva-kumär heard about Kamath's ritual, he realized the violence towards living beings involved in a fire. He came to Kamath and tried to dissuade him from lighting the sacrificial fire. Kamath denied that any life could be endangered by his ritual. However, by extra-sensory perception, Pärshva-kumär sensed a snake trapped inside one of the burning logs. He asked his men to remove the log and carefully chop it open. To everyone's surprise, a half-burnt snake came out of the burning piece of wood. The snake was so badly burnt that it could not be saved. Pärshva-kumär recited the Namokkär-mantra for the benefit of the dying snake. After death, the snake was reborn as Dharanendra, the King of gods of the Nag kumärs (gods or angels that look like snakes) in heaven.
JAIN STORY BOOK
33
