________________
117
Once, King Srikanta noticed Indra, the king of the celestial world, flying in his aircraft in the direction of Nandisvaradvipa. He was accompanied by several other dieties. Seeing them, King Srikanta felt the urge of going for a pilgrimage to the Nandiśvaradvipa. He boarded his aircraft but no matter what he did, the aircraft didn't proceed further. King Srikanta's heart was filled with sorrow. "How unfortunate I am indeed! I couldn't go for a pilgrimage, when I desire," he said to himself. He further thought, I must not blame anyone except myself for this unfulfilled desire. Probably, I did not perform enough penance in my last births. What is the use of this throne and power, when I cannot visit this holy place? What is the use of having a wife, son and family? What is the use of this royal court and the courtiers? The courtiers are nothing except sychophants. Its high time, I think about my soul. When the introspection revealed the truth of the material world, he said, "I must endeavour to walk on the path of salvation now. But unless all my desires. passions, and emotion sink into nothingness, I cannot take steps towards renunciation. I must adore the lord and observe celibacy, I must not please my
senses and surrender to the will and word of the lord. This is impossible untill I become an ascetic. In order to appease the sins, I must revolt to forgiveness. In order to follow celibacy, I must observe the nine guptis. I must nip the cause of sins in bud by surrendering to the will of God, and for this, I must renounce the world." He then handed over the throne to his son Vajrakantha and became an ascetic. He performed austere penance and finally achieved salvation. King Vajrakantha was followed by the worthy and valiant kings like Ghanodadhiratha, Kiskindha, Adityaraja and Vali.
Though Vali and Sugriva belonged to the tribe of Vanars-apes, Pavananjaya and Hanumana did not belong to their clan. They were Vidyadharas. Uttarapurana and many other works of Ramayana mention that Princess Padmaraga, the daughter of either Vali or Sūgriva, was married to Hanumana and he was absorbed in the tribe of the apes. According to many other versions of Ramayana, Hanumāna practised celibacy since childhood. He was unmarried and combined wit, knowledge and enormous muscle power.
Appendix-6 The Previous Births of Indrajit, Meghavahana and Mandodari
Prathama and Pascima were two poor broth- as a mighty diety in the fifth celestial world. Through ers, who resided in Kausambinagari. They discovered his Avadhigyan, he learnt that his brother of the past the true dharma through an ascetic called Bhavadatta birth was born as a prince, and was induged into seekand became mendicants.
ing sensual pleasure. He, therefore appeared before
the young prince Rativardhana and narrated him how After many years, they once again reached their
he sunk deeper and deeper into the swamp of denative place during the month of spring. The climate
sires. When the prince Rativardhana heard this, he was pleasant and everyone celebrated the advent of
remembered his past birth. He repented and became spring. When Pascima muni saw King Nandighosa and
an ascetic. The acquired virtues, once fulfill the pashis consort enjoying the festivities, he said to himself,
sions, but gradually leads to miseries. Rativardhana 'I wish to become a prince as a result of my penance.!
repented for his folly and immediately embraced an The other ascetics tried to convince him that his rea
asectic life to atone his sins. He managed to free himsoning was wrong, for, one embraces the austere life
self from the shackles of sins. acquire virtue and was of a mendicant, to minimise karmas and achieve sal
born as a diety in the fifth celestial world. When their vation. They urged him to take his words back, but
tenure as a diety came to an end, both of the brothers Pascima muni did not pay heed to their advice. When
became kings of Vibudhanagara, situated in he died, his soul entered the womb of queen Indumukhi
Mahavideha Ksetra. Both initiated ascetic life and beand he was born as Prince Rativardhana. When he
came dieties in the twelvth celestial world. From there, stepped into the threshold of youth, he too, like his
they both were born as Rāvana's sons, Indrajit and father, indulged into amourous games with his wives.
Meghavahana. Indumukhi, the mother of Rativardhana His elder Prathama muni practised selfless and
muni, after many births, was born as Mandodari and desirefree penance, and after his demise was born
became Ravana's wife.
Table
Indrajit
Meghavāhana
Mandodari
Prathama (Brother)
Paścima (Brother) Rativardhan (Son)
Indumukhi (Mother)
Many births
Fifth heaven
Fifth heaven
King Twelvth heaven
Indrajit
King Twelvth heaven Meghavāhana
Private Uso
Jain Education International
ional
Mandodari
www.jainelibrary.org
