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SAMPRATI MAHARAJ A story from Tristha Shalaka Purush
This is a story during the reign of emperor Ashok.
One afternoon a beggar encountered group of Jain munis returning from Gochari (alms). The beggar pleaded for some food as he was starving. The munis told him with utmost love that they could not give food to anyone other than their Gurudev who in turn will distribute the food to all the Sadhus. "Our guru will do the right thing."
The beggar followed the munis to their Guruji - Acharya Shree Aryasuhasti. The munis requested to him to consider the plight of the beggar. Acharya Shree was an extremely learned scholar and possessed a special knowledge of things to come. He thought for a few moments and recognized the potential of this beggar. He told the beggar that if he were to become a sadhu, he can share the meal today and for all the time to come.
Hunger was troubling the beggar so much that he agreed and changed into the sadhu clothes. After all the food was good and he did need new clothes. He sat down with sadhus and consumed as much food as he could since this was the first time in a long
time he had a chance at such nice food. At sundown he developed pain in his stomach. As the night progressed his pain became unbearable. After the Pratikaman, all the munis sat next to this new sadhu and started praying and reciting Navkar Mantra. Village people who had come for Pratikaman also stayed behind and ministered him. Acharya Shree himself started reciting prayers for him and tried to give him solace.
All this astonished the new Sadhu. Just hours before he had no good clothes, he was hungry and towns people never paid any attention to him. Just changing into sadhu clothes had changed all that. He realized that although he had changed into white clothes just to be able to eat what would happen if he really were a
sadhu? He died that night listning to Navkar Mantra and praising the life of a Jain sadhu. He was reborn as the grandson of the emperor Ashok. He was named Samprati. He became the king of Ujjain and was later known as Samrat Samprati.
One day from a window of his palace he saw some sadhus passing by. He thought he knew the one leading them and as he thought more of him all of a sudden he remembered his past life. He yelled out to his Gurudev and ran down the steps to bow down to his beloved Gurudev. He invited Gurudev in to the palace and after sitting him on proper place asked if he recognized him. The Gurudev acknowledged him as his student.
32 / JAIN DIGEST⚫ Spring 20004
Jain Education International 2010_03
Samprati Maharaj thanked Gurudev for his enormously good fortune. If it were not for the "DIKSHA" given by him, he would never have gotten the blessings of Navkar Mantra at the time of his death. It was a SAMADHI MARAN that gave him birth into a royal family so he offered to give his kingdom to his Guruji.
Acharya Shree Aryasuhasti smiled and praised Samprati Maharaj's devotion. He explined to Samprati that a Jain sadhu cannot accept such a gift due to Aparigrah Vrat. Samrat Samprati did not know all that since he was a sadhu for less than half a day in his previous life. Acharya Shree gave knowledge of Jainism to the emperor.
Samprati Maharaj became a staunch follower of Jainism. During his life time he built 125,000 Temples; and installed 12,500,000 Jin Murtis. He also preached Ahimsa
The story above illustrates the importance of devotion to one's Guru and need never to forget his obligation.
Dilip V Shah
First Ahimsa Center Conference May 14-15, 2004
We are pleased to announce the establishment of the Ahimsa Center in the College of Letters, Arts and Social Sciences at California State Polytechnic University, Pomona. The Center's focus is on interdisciplinary teaching and learning about nonviolence and its practical applications at various levels: individual, familial, communal, national and international. The Center's programs should be of great interest to the Jain community.
The Ahimsa Center will hold its inaugural conference on May 14-15, 2004. The conference theme is Visions and Strategies for Creating a Culture of Ahimsa. This two-day forum in Pomona will bring together an international roster of scholars and practitioners of nonviolence to share their insights and experiences, and to foster dialogues about how ahimsa can inform our modes of thinking and ways of living.
For information, please contact the Center Director, Professor Tara Sethia at tsethia@csupomona.edu. (909) 869 3868.
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