Jaina Method Of Curing

Author(s): Manju Jain
Publisher: International School for Jain Studies

Page 82

Riddhi (le pouvoir surnaturel) Om hrīm arham namo tatta-tawānam (Jhraum jhraum namah swāhā)
Evidential Story - 27
Everyone wants his worldly desires to be fulfilled. To fulfill his desires he has recourse to every possible means. His desires would be fulfilled or not he does not know but while trying to do so he traps himself in the web of confusion. This was the case of king Harishchandra and his wife Chandragati. They were sterile like a tree without fruits. Both used to remain unhappy all the time. They were prepared to do anything for a son. This world is full of frauds who eagerly wait for such opportunities. King Harichandra was cheated by pujarees in the name of performing some Yagya and fraud sadhus would also squeeze money out of him. Let's see how the king and the queen got trapped in their web in order to fulfill their desire. One day a sadhu came at their door and after receiving alms asked the queen "Oh fortunate daughter! what do you desire ? The queen told him her desire. To this the sadhu closed his eyes and said. “You are suffering due to the displeasure of a sadhu in your previous life. If you give food in charity to sadhus, all your desires would be fulfilled". The queen fed him good food and sweets. The sadhu filled himself so much that he could hardly sit or stand. (2) One day a well known astrologer came to the royal house and said "Planet satara is causing you distress, Oh queen! If with pure heart you feed 100 brahmins and give charity to royal astrologers according to, their wishes, Lord Saturn's evil vision can be removed. (3) Another day the royal physician suggested, “Oh queen ! for both of you gold charity and taking (eating) gold bhasma (ash) would be appropriate". Etc, etc. This way the king and the queen were wandering aimlessly in order to get a son. But their desire was not fulfilled.
One day munishri Shrutkirtiji Maharaj visited the garden on the outskirts of the city. The king and the queen also went for his darshan. As they had lost faith in sadhus, astrologers etc. they were not willing to express their sorrow to Munishree. But the muni read their thoughts and to relieve their troubles, explained the secret of Bhaktamar stotra and chanting the 27th shloka told them its importance. But the king and queen were not very interested or enthusiastic about it. Munishree continued to recite the 27th shloka of Bhaktamar stotra sweetly. King Harischandra got up in between had his bath and changed his clothes and went to the Jintemple and sat in padmasana before the idol of Lord Adinath and started chanting loudly 'Ko vismayotra yadi'. With great concentration he recited the shloka for 2 hours but seeing no result he was disappointed. It was possible that while reciting the shloka he had his desire only in mind forgetting about Jindevotion. The disappointed king came out and grumbled before the waiting courtiers "Religion is nothing but deceit (illusion). Its followers are not bothered about religion but are selfishly using it to earn their livelihood. The minister was surprised and sad at the change in the king's feelings. The wise minister understood that the king chanted the shloka of Bhaktamar shloka for the fulfillment of his desire and not with selfless (desire less) devotion. Therefore he got up immediately went to the temple and wearing pure clothes started chanting the same 27th sloake with utmost devotion sans (without) any desires. After some time the Jain Dhritadevi appeared to him and told him to ask for a boon. The minister said 'devi I want nothing for myself. I want that the king should have firm faith in the Jinreligon that saves man from unlimited sorrows of (in) the world and grants him salvation. For this please grant the king the boon of a son." Devi said 'So be it', and vanished. After 5 years when the munishree visited the city again the king and the queen