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matters, and this is what will one day make the soul go far.
Famous women in Jainism
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There have been many Jain women in the past whose bright mark still impacts us today. The one woman who has really impacted me the most would be Sulsa Shravika. Sulsa Shravika was just like any other Jain woman, but she was special in her own way. She had an unconditional love for Bhagwan Mahavir. She had an undisturbed devotion for praying. In fact, whenever Bhagwan Mahavir came close to her city, she instantly knew. Because of her strong dedication, even Bhagwan Mahavir kept her in high respects. This impacts me because it shows how much dedication is needed to simply do darshan. Despite being a woman, Sulsa Shravika taught many men the right path.
Another woman with a great influence is Maina Sundari. Her story revolved around two faiths that she upheld throughout the entire way. Firstly, when her father asked her, "Where are you getting all are luxuries from?" she replied, "My punya (good karma) from the last birth."
She was a strict believer in the theory of karma. The second faith she had was in the "Nav pad". In fact, she had so much belief in "Nav pad", she prayed for her husband, Shripal Raja, who got free of leprosy. He ultimately became the king he deserved to be, and she the queen.
Probably the most well-known woman in Jainism is Mallinath Bhagwan. In the Shvetambar sect, we believe that Mallinath Bhagwan is the only woman tirthankar in this avsarpini cycle. She influenced not one, but six men in her life at the time of her marriage. She taught mankind how to differentiate between the purity of the soul, and the decomposing form of the body. Soon, she along with the six men took Diksha. She became the 19th tirthankar, the only woman, also known as the "Perfect One."
These are just some of the many influential women in the Jain religion. There are so many more. In fact, there is even a stuti dedicated to those women. It is known as the "Sol Sati Vandana", and it therefore, praises the sixteen satis.
Bramhi Chandan-balika bhagwati, Rajemati Draupadi
Kaushalya cha Mrigavati cha Sulasa, Sita Subadhra Jainism: The Global Impact
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