Jain Legend Vol 2

Author(s): Hastimal Maharaj, Shuganchand Jain, P S Surana
Publisher: Hastimal Maharaj Shugan C Jain P S Surana

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mentioned that after nirva, in the 5th or 6th century a foreign lady took initiation into rama Dharma.
According to Vi e va yaka Bh ya and Ni tha Cri, the widow sister of Muru da, the aka ruler, expressed her desire to renounce. Before giving permission to his sister, Muru da wanted to find out which religion is the best one, so that she could in a true sense uplift her soul. He carved out an idea for testing the same. He ordered his elephant's coach to ride on his largest elephant and wait at the cross road near the palace, and goad it on to any female monk of any religion coming that way, while simultaneously warning her in harsh words to Strip off all her clothes at once and stand naked, else the elephant will crush her to death.
The king stood near the window of her palace, watching whether the elephant coach was strictly following his orders or not. The female monks passing by that way, seeing the heavy-bodied elephant rushing towards them at lightening speed, were removing their clothes as warned by the coach. Seeing this, Muru da felt depressed that there was not even a single commendable female monk from whom his sister could take initiation.
Just as this thought was going through his mind, at that very moment he once again heard the coach's warning. Through the window he saw that the elephant was goaded towards a very lean-bodied vet mbara (whiteclothed) female monk. The female monk, without any fear continued her walk towards her destination in a peaceful and composed manner. When the elephant was just a little away from her, she threw her mumhapatt (a small piece of cloth worn over the mouth by the vet mbaraa Jains) at the elephant. The elephant stopped at once and held the mumhapatt with its trunk, looked all around, threw it aside and renewed its menace towards the female monk. The coach shouted again; but this time the female monk threw her flywhisk (Rajohara a) towards the elephant. Once again the elephant stopped, and holding the flywhisk with its trunk, spun it in the air and threw it aside. In this manner when the elephant again came near her, the female monk threw her bowl and other monkhood implements one by one on the elephant and curbed the speed of the elephant. Looking at this miracle, the astounded crowd was completely taken away by her courage and confidence. Finally the female monk was left only with the clothes on her body and nothing else.
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