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F05 Story - Stories after Bhagwan Mahävir
04 - Udayan Mantri and His Sons - Ambad and Bähad
Moral: The life story of Udayan, a religious and hardworking Shrävak, is very inspiring to all of us. He was always humble and never forgot his benefactors. He raised brave and virtuous sons, Ämbad and Bähad, two gems of the Jain sangh. Bhim's generosity is also praiseworthy. Bähad's act of putting Bhim's name at the top of the donors' list demonstrates his unbiased leadership and true understanding of religion. Highlights:
Udayan was a minister in the court of King Kumärpäl. When he was governor of Khambhät, he sheltered King Kumärpäl and later on became his minister. He asked his son to construct a new temple on Shatrunjay, since the old temple was made of wood and could be set on fire. His son Bähad constructed one temple in 1155 A.D., but parts of it fell down due to high winds. He decided to reconstruct it and completed it in 1157 A.D. The top of the donor list was a poor man named Bhim who donated his entire wealth (even though it was only one coin).
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Compendium of Jainism - 2015
