Jain Journal 1982 10

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

Page 35

OCTOBER, 1982
sense regained, the penitent husband with his forgiving wife leaves Puhar for Madura, where the unfortunate Kovalan is mistaken for the real thief of the precious anklet of the Pandyan queen, and this tragic error leads to the execution of Kovalan at the orders of the Pandyan king of Madura. Under the stress of this final overwhelming sorrow,Kannaki, "the angelic and uncomplaining wife excels herself and towers above the king and queen and petty humanity”. Her aguish at the sight of her dead husband is unbearable, and she twists and plucks out her left breast, in the extremity of pain, with her own hand and hurls it across the streets. As a result of this, the accursed city of Madura soon becomes a heap of charred ruins. The lovers, however, are reunited in heaven, and Kannaki is immortalized and worshipped throughout the ages as a goddess of female chastity.
3. Nuns and Lay Devotees
Of the contemporaries of Mahavira, Ajja (Arya) Candana, became the first female disciple of Mahavira, and the head of his Jaina order of nuns.10 Jayanti the sister of king Satanika of Kausambi, who used to attend the discourses of Mahavira and discuss with him theological and metaphysical problems, ultimately discarded her royal comforts and became a devout nun.1 Mrgavati, a very beautiful queen of this king, is a well-known example of female chastity, political sagacity and heroism. Pradyota, the king of Ujjayini, attacked Kausambi in order to take away this most charming princess of his age. Satanika fell ill and died when the battle was in progress, but Mrgavati, showing admirable political sagacity and foresight, declared that the king was sick, valiantly led her army, drove Pradyota back beyond the frontiers and then gave out the news that the king was dead. But her subjects were tired and were no match for the overwhelming strength of Pradyota's army. Mrgavati
10 Avasyaka Curni, II, pp. 205 ff.; 318 ff.; Avasyaka Niryukti, p. 520 f. ; Avasyaka-tika,
p. 294 f. When King Sayaniya of Kausambi invaded Campa, Vasumati, the daughter of Dadhivahana fell into the hands of an enemy officer, was captured and brought to Kausambi, where she was sold as a slave-girl to a merchant, whose wife, becoming jealous of her, tortured her and put her into custody. Vasumati once
offered food to Mahavira and joined his order as the nun Candana. Il Bhagavati-sutra, 12.2. It was Jayanti who took Mrgavati to the assembly of
Mahavira. The Bhagavati-sutra has recorded only one incident of the dialogue between Jayanti and Mahavira, but it is clear that women took active part in such theological or metaphysical discussion, and that Jayanti was one of the learned women of the age amongst the followers of Mahavira. Candana, mentioned above, who was formerly a princess of Campa, must have been a woman of great learning and culture, since she rose to be the head of Mahavira's order of nuns.