________________
446)
| Shali-Bhadra's Renunciation and Consecration
on an auspicious moment Bhadra gave birth to a child who was beautiful, healthy and promising in every respect.
In accordance with the dream that the mother had seen before her conception the child was named as "Shali-Bhadra”. Setha Gobhadra then appointed five educated nurses of good character to look after him. Shali Bhadra was nourished and grew up under the care of these nurses. Thus days, months, and years passed and Shali Bhadra became seven years old. He was then sent to the school and as he was an intelligent boy, he learnt all the 72 Kalas ( arts ) very soon. Then there was a talk of his marriage. Setha Gobhadra was a big merchant; and all the people, living for and near, knew him on account of his flourishing trade. For this very reason, every body wanted to marry his daughter with his son, Shali Bhadra. But Gobhadra did not like this idea. He wanted to marry his son to a beautiful and cultured girl of his own city and he did what he wanted. The hands of 32 girls of Raja-Griha were offered to Shali Bhadra, and he was married to all of them one by one. After his marriage, Shali Bhadra indulged himself in various kinds of worldly pleasures so much so that he did not even know when the sun rose and when it set. He had no cares and no anxieties because his parents were very particular about satisfying all his wants. Shali Bhadra had enjoyed his worldly luxuries only for a short time when his father felt a desire in his heart to see the feet of the Lord. He went to the Lord accordingly, offered his obeisance to him, and with the intention of changing his material pleasures for Vairagya (i. e. renunciation) he requested the Lord to consecrate him. The Lord thought him quite fit for consecration, Gobhadra began to practise severe pen
Jain Education International
For Private & Personal Use Only
www.jainelibrary.org
