Jain Journal 1969 01

Author(s): Jain Bhawan Publication
Publisher: Jain Bhawan Publication

Page 31

JANUARY, 1969
125
The merchant returns on the fourth day. Not finding his wife and Candana in the house, he enquires of the house-maids about them and is told that his wife has gone to her father's place, but none of the housemaids dares give him any news of Candana. After much enquiry, he learns from an old house-maid that Candana is confined in a dark cell on the lowest floor of the house. He is greatly distressed to see her plight. He wishes to give some food to Candana, who looks worn with three days' fast, but finds nothing in the house except some boiled pulse, prepared for the servants. He gives some of them on a winnow to Candana to eat and goes to fetch a black-smith to get her chains unfastened.
On that day Lord Mahavira passes through that very street in search of alms. Candana sees him from her road-side cell and is beside herself with joy. Wishing to give him some food, she begs him to accept her boiled pulse. Mahavira sees her and holds out his hand to take the food, but the very next moment he withdraws it and turns back to go. His non-acceptance of the food greatly troubles her. All her sense of persecution, insult, sorrow and pain, suppressed in her so long, rends her heart and bursts out. She exclaims, "O Lord, you too are averse to this unfortunate woman !" Tears stream down her cheeks. Attracted by her cry, Lord Mahavira looks at her again and approaching her with quiet steps, accepts the boiled pulses from her hands and breaks his long fast.1 The heavens ring out with music and the gods shower gems upon earth.
In a moment this news spreads on all sides. The queen Mrgavati comes to the merchants' house to see this fortunate slave girl and on learning who she is, takes her to her own palace.
Some time after this event when Lord Mahavira attains kevala-iņāna Candana receives her initiation at his hands and is placed at the head of the order of nuns. Supreme among the nuns, she practises the pure discipline of the order for several years and attains spiritual freedom.
Reprinted from Puranchand Samsookha Abhinandan Granth.
1 Mahavira had taken a vow that he would not break his fast unless and until a princess in chains and in tears and fasting for three days, would offer him boiled pulse on a winnow. He proceeded to accept the offer, but since Candana had no tears in her eyes, he retraced his steps. Afterwards when he saw her crying he accepted it. In Jaina terminology this kind of vow is called 'abhigraha'.