Jain Journal 1970 10

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

Page 20

OCTOBER, 1970
in flames, in case he failed to spot the robber within a week. Six days passed without any success. At the risk of his life, he invoked the grace of a vetāla. He found out the place of the robber, and through the aid of Campakamala who was once betrothed to him but was kidnapped by the robber, he successfully finished him. He stayed in that cellar enjoying various pleasures in the company of his beloved for twelve years. For seven mornings continuously, he heard an anonymous voice (that of the souls of Mayaditya and Candasoma in heaven) exorting him to follow the path of true religion by meeting a Sarvajña. At Kakandi he went to the samavasarana of Mahavira who enlightened him of his anecdotes. He accepted dikşā and gave himself up to austerities.
From Vaidurya vimāna soul of Candasoma was born as Svayambhu deva. He had to leave home and wander about for a prosperous living. He reached Campa, but had to rest at night on a Tamala tree. He saw two traders who burried under that tree some treasures and went away. Svayambhudeva found, to his good luck, five jewels there. He took them and started home. On the way he rested on a Banyan tree. There he heard a touching conversation between a bird and its father, mother and wife. The bird succeeded in taking their permission to die fasting in order to escape from hell, as instructed by Mahavira. This conversation was a lesson for him ; and it opened his eyes that it was not proper for him to pick up jewels like that and live on them. Being thus enlightened, he accepted renunciation in the samavasaraņa of Mahavira at Hastinapura.
Lord Mahavira reached Rajagrha in Magadha. King Srenika was very happy on the Lord's arrival and he went to his samavasaraṇa. There went also prince Maharatha, the eight year old son of Srenika who wanted to know the meaning of a symbolic dream he had last night. Mahavira explained to him how he was the jiva of Kuvalayamala (Mayaditya), how his other colleagues were there, and how he would duly attain liberation in this life. He received dikşā and met his other colleagues. They all moved with the Lord for many many years. When they saw that their ends were near, they adopted samlekhanā as advised by Mahavira, and died after duly offering alocanā and pratikramana and became antakrt kevalins.