Jain Story Book

Author(s): Manu Doshi
Publisher: Manu Doshi

Page 80

Then she began to wail, loudly uttering that her family was polluted by such a characterless girl. When Buddhadas came home, she told him with all possible exaggeration how she had noticed Subhadra in the company of the monk. Subhadrä tried to explain what had happened but Buddhadas refused to listen to her. He was much enraged to hear what his mother had said and thought that Subhadrä could not have been a faithful wife. Thereupon he decided to send her back to her father's place and in the meantime asked her to stay confined in her room.
For Subhadrä it was the time of an ordeal. She was perfectly chaste but could not see any way to vindicate her chastity. She had however unflinching faith in her religion and in the efficacy of Sämayika. She therefore decided to observe the fast and stay tuned to Sämayika all the time. Shäsandevi, the goddess who looks to the well being of Jain order, was pleased by her sense of devotion and appeared in her dream. She told Subhadra not to worry because she was by her side and was instituting a miraculous device that could enable the latter to vindicate her chastity. So saying, the Shäsandevi disappeared.
In the morning it was noticed that all the gates of Champäpuri were firmly locked. The gate keepers tried to open them but could not do so in spite of all possible efforts. Many people came around to witness what had gone wrong with the gates. There were lot of people within the city intending to go out and many more outside who wanted to come in. All of them were feeling helpless and could not make out what to do. The entire traffic of Champapuri with the outside world came to a stand still.
When the king came to know of that, he was much perturbed. He could imagine that it could have resulted from the wrath of some heavenly being. He therefore prayed his family goddess to come to the help. The goddess was pleased by his sincere prayer and said that the gates have been locked as a result of ill treatment to a pious girl of his city and they could be opened only if a truly chaste girl draws water from the well in a strainer tied to the cotton yarn and sprinkles that water at the gates. Thereupon the king announced that whoever could draw the water in a strainer as required, would be recognized as the chaste girl of the city and would be given appropriate award in token of her purity.
For that purpose the queen and other royal girls came out first of all, because they considered themselves very chaste. Here however was not the test of mere physical chastity but of mental one too. Very cautiously, they laid the strainer in the well but failed to draw the water. Other girls of the city then tried their luck. In many cases, the cotton yarn gave way while laying down the strainer and even those, whose strainers could reach the water, were not successful in drawing the water. As none of them succeeded, Subhadrä asked the permission of her mother in law to let her try. The mother in law however curtly turned her down saying that her character was now known and she had no intention to lay the prestige of her family at stake.
Since no one could draw the water in the strainer as required, the king was much perturbed. He therefore issued orders for every woman of the city to come out and try. Thus Subhadrä also got a chance. She came to the well. Tying the strainer with the cotton yarn, she confidently let it down in the well and immersed it in the water. Then, she offered her silent prayer to the Shäsandevi and reciting the Navkärmantra she started to draw out the strainer. To the surprise of every one the water had stayed in the strainer. Subhadra could realize that Shäsandevi was invisibly holding the water. She took that water in her hand and sprayed it at the gates. Every one was astonished to notice that the doors of the gates instantly opened.
The city breathed a sign of relief when the gates were thus opened. Every one praised Subhadra for her performance. It was decided by the king to honor her as the perfectly chaste girl of the city. Subhadra was accordingly given a rousing reception in the royal court and the people of Champäpuri thronged to witness the occasion. People of all sorts felt much elated and congratulated Subhadrä as the most chaste girl of the city. Buddhadäs and his mother also realized that they had unjustly accused Subhadra of the adultery and they asked for her