ISJS Jainism Study Notes E5 Vol 04

Author(s): International School for Jain Studies
Publisher: International School for Jain Studies

Page 456

and rule the kingdom. As per his advice Kiundanaprabha asked her son Shripal to proceed to Ujjaini alongwith 700 soldiers to learn the intricacies of kingship.
Obeying his mother, Shripal left for Ujjaini with his soldiers. He was so handsome and charismatic that every king and their princess's on route to Ujjaini were attracted towards him. On the way, he met a learned Jain monk and so he stopped to pay respects to him and seek his blessings. The monk told Shripal that he is a very auspicious person, destined to rule the world and ultimately attain salvation in this life. However his path to salvation is full of difficulties which he will overcome through strenuous efforts and belief in him to be able to achieve his ob objectives of being the emperor of the entire world first and then achieve salvation. In the congregation, younger daughter of Pahupal, Mainasundari was also there. She was also very beautiful, virtuous religious and firm believer in Jain doctrine. When both Shripal and Mainasundari saw each other, they realized that they were made for each other (through their remembrances of past lives). After having the blessings of the monk, Shripal and his soldiers left for Ujjaini.
On arrival at Ujjaini, King Pahupal accorded a royal welcome to Shripal and introduced him to his wife queen Nipunasundari and daughters Sursandari (elder and with bad character) and Mainasundari (younger). Pahupal offered his guidance and assistance to Shripal to rule Champa. Also Shripal and Mainasundari started liking each other and solemnized to be married after return of Shripal to his kingdom Champanagari.
While prince Shripal and his 700 soldiers were returning to Champanagari, somehow they all contracted leprosy. Their bodies were full of oozing spots and emitting foul odour. When they arrived in Champanagari, Queen Kiundanaprabha had the entire town decorated with flowers. However as the prince and his entourage approached the town Champanagari, the foul smell from their bodies overshadowed the fragrance of all the flowers. Seeing his son Shripal and his entourage as lepers, she ordered them to leave Champanagari and live elsewhere in a forest. Shripal became very sad and in spite of his utmost persuasion and reminding his mother about the Jain monks blessings and prophecy, had to leave the town. Shripal and his soldiers decided to live in a forest which was known to have trees with medicinal qualities. This forest was closer to Ujjaini also. The news of Shripal's leprosy reached Ujjaini also and king Pahupal asked his daughter Mainasundari to forget Shripal and marry someone else. However Mainasundari, a firm believer in Jain doctrine of Karma and its path of spiritual purification, decided to be with Shripal only. Her father tried his best to persuade her otherwise but in vain. She had very heated arguments with her father on the subject to the extent that the father lost his good values and conduct. So she left her father to be with Shripal. On the other hand her elder sister married a prince Harivahan of Kaushambi, who was handsome but ill reputed and notorious for his vices. Harivahan died within a month of his marriage after leaving his wife Sursundari pregnant.
On seeing Mainasundari, Shripal requested Maina to return to her father as he is a leper and cannot provide any worldly comfort to her. They both had long arguments based on Jain doctrine and ultimately decided to be together as husband and wife. She was a firm believer of the following values taught to her by Jain monks.
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Every soul has the capability to become super soul i.e. one can get rid of all his pains etc and achieve his highest objective. Body and soul are different entities. Soul is eternal. I am the soul and different from body or its states. Diseases are a part of body and both accrue as a result of our past karmas. They are momentary and can be eliminated completely. Karma can be extinguished completely or their results can be made less or more effective by pious conduct.
With full faith in the above values, Maina started taking care of Shripal, nursed his body by keeping it clean, giving some medicines from the forest trees, narrating Jain doctrine to Shripal regularly. Besides she also started giving pure wholesome vegetarian food to Shripal and his soldiers. Finally she organized a big puja under the auspices of a congregation of visiting Jain monks and had Shripal and his soldiers also join the puja. At the end of the puja, she had the sandalwood water collected
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STUDY NOTES version 4.0