Jain Stories 02

Author(s): Mahendramuni, K C Lalwani
Publisher: A B Jain Shwetambar Terapanth Samaj

Page 40

18
JAINA STORIES
and has fled Your vow is fulfilled and in the morniog you will find the garden restored to its freshness"
The morning saw the miracle happen The garden was restored to its beauty and freshness Madibhadra was astonished He rushed to Kuladhara's daughter at the temple premises to break the news and congratulate her Said he,
“My daughter, my wishes have been fulfilled by the strength of thy purity and penance It behoves thee to break the fast now". With the speed of lightning the news reached every household in the town, and all the resident of the town, both men and women, came rushing to the temple. All spoke highly of her purity and the merchant's good luck who has such a worthy daughter in his house. Kuladhara's daughter offered food to the monks, served the same to the members of her order and then broke her fast
This was indeed a great day for the religion of the Jina. Many days passed thereafter. One night, at late hours, as Kuladhara's daughter lay awake in her bed, a thought came to her :
"By good fortune, I am born in the order of the Jiba But I cannot practice the 'great vows' This will be a severe failure on my part So I must make the best use of whatever limited capacity I have for spiritual advance"
Now, she changed the course of her life. Sometimes she would be on fast for two days, sometimes for three days and sometimes for four, raising the duration gradually to a fortnight and then a month. This reduced her body. Then she undertook the final fast and ended her life through auspicious meditation. Thereafter she was born in heaven called Saudharmaloka Having completed her life there, she has been born in the house of brahmin Agaisharma as his daughter and has been named Vidyutprabha