Jain Journal 1970 04

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

Page 40

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for that reason the pākṣika rites etc., were fixed for the fourteenth, otherwise directed by the Scripture to be on the full-moon day.
Story of Salibhadra
The saintly youth Samgama, son of the poor widow Dhanya, grew up in the village of Saligrama in Magadha. One day he asked his mother for a dish of sweet rice-milk. She could not afford to buy the materials, but her neighbours made her a present of them, and Dhanya gave the dish of rice-milk to her son. Just then a great ascetic, about to break a month's fast, arrived. Samgama, with profound devotion, handed his dish of rice-milk; and received the blessing of the ascetic. He was reborn as Salibhadra, the son of the merchant prince Gobhadra and his wife Bhadra, in the city of Rajagriha. When grown up, Gobhadra married his son to thirtytwo beautiful women and proposed to retire from the world. Meanwhile Mahavira arrived and Gobhadra took his vows at the Lord's hands. Subsequently he died by fasting and was reborn as a god. Thence he descended to visit his son and bestowed upon him rare treasures.
JAIN JOURNAL
Merchants now came from abroad with rare and magnificent shawls which they offered to king Srenika. He, however, thought that he could not afford to purchase them. Salibhadra's mother then bought the eight shawls, cut each into four pieces and presented them to Salibhadra's wives, who in turn placed them at his feet. Cellana, king Srenika's queen, hearing of the shawls, begged him to take the shawls from the merchants by force. He found that Salibhadra's mother had secured them and repenting of his previous parsimony, offered to buy them from her. She, however, could do nothing as she had already given away the shawls. The king's messenger reported these matters to the king, who wondered what sort of man this wealthy Salibhadra must be. The king sent his messenger to invite Salibhadra to visit him. But Bhadra instead invited the king to visit Salibhadra. He agreed and was received in state. The occasion of the king's visit was the means of Salibhadra's enlightenment for he reflected he was not his own master.
Bhadra prepared a great shampoo for the king. As he was being rinsed his signet ring fell into the water, and was lost, but when the water was poured away, it was discovered in the jewelled bath, where, however, its glory was dimmed by the splendour of its surroundings. The king was somewhat cast down by this but recognised