Jain Story Book

Author(s): Manu Doshi
Publisher: Manu Doshi

Page 21

to him. He however did not develop much attachment for the worldly life and showed no eagerness for getting married.
During that time there was another well known city named Kushasthala and Prasenjit was ruling there. He had a very beautiful and talented daughter named Prabhavati. As she became young, her parents were looking for a suitable match for her. Once while Prabhavati was playing in a garden with her girl-friends, she heard a song to the effect that prince of Varanasi is very handsome and brave and that the girl who marries him would be a very lucky girl. Prabhavati was impressed by that. She obtained all possible information about Parshwakumar and got enamoured of him. As her friends came to know of her attachment for Parshwakumar, they gave hints to her parents. Thereupon Prasenjit decided to convey her wishes to the king of Varanasi.
At that time another powerful ruler named Yavan was ruling over Kalinga. He knew about Prabhavati and wanted to marry her. When he heard about the plan of Prasenjit to offer Prabhavati to the prince of Varanasi, Yavan decided to get her by force. Accordingly he took a large army with him and surrounded Kushasthala. Prasenjit was no match for him. He therefore secretly sent a messenger to king Ashwasen with a request for help. When Ashwasen heard the messenger, he got ready with his army. Parshwakumar however did not like that his father should take that trouble. He therefore volunteered to go in his place and proceeded towards Kushasthal with a large force. For a while, Yavan tried to belittle the force of Varanasi. Ultimately however he heeded to saner advice and agreed to retreat from Kushasthal.
Prasenjit then welomed Parshwakumar with valuable presents and due respect. He then put forth his proposal for marrying his daughter. Parshwakumar was however not inclined to get married and indicated his intention to go back to Varanasi. Prasenjit then decided to use the good offices of King Ashwasen for that purpose. Accordingly, he decided to go with Parshwakumar to Varanasi along with his daughter. King Ashwasen was very impressed by the beauty, grace and talents of Prabhavati. He and Vamadevi therefore prevailed upon their son to marry Prabhavati. The wedding ceremony was accordingly performed with all the pomps and splendour and Pärswakumär started passing happy days with Prabhavati.
At that time there was a penancing mendicant named Kamath. He had lost his parents in childhood and was raised as an orphan. Being disgusted of his miserable life, he had become a monk and was undergoing severe penance. He came to Varanasi for performing a Panchagni (five fires) penance. Many people were impressed by his penance and were going to that place for worship. When Parshwakumar came to know of that, he realized the violence of live beings involved in the fire. He came there and tried to dissuade Kamath from the sacrificial fire. Kamath did not agree that life of any being was at stake on account of his performance. By his extra sensory perception, Parshwakumar could observe that there was a snake in the wood that was put in the sacrificial fire. He asked his men to take out that wood and to shear it carefully. To the amazement of the onlookers a half burnt snake came out. It had too severe burns to survive. Parshwakumar recited the Navakarmantra for benefit of the snake, who died and was reborn as Dharanendra, the lord of Asurkumars. Kamath got too much annoyed by this interference but was unable to do anything at that time. He started observing more severe penance and at the end of his life was reborn as Meghamali, the lord of rain.
Observing the miseries that living beings had to experience, Parshwakumar developed a high degree of detachment. At the age of 30 he renounced everything and became a possessionless monk. Then he became known as Pärshwanath. He spent most of his time meditating in search of ultimate bliss for all. Once while he was in meditation, Meghmali saw him. He recalled how Pärshwanath had interfered in his penance in earlier life. He saw this opportunity to take revenge. By his supernatural power, he brought forth all kinds of fierce and harmful animals like elephants, lions, leopards, snakes etc. As Lord Pärshwanath stayed in the meditation unperturbed, Meghamali brought forth heavy rains. It started raining like dogs and cats. The rain water touched