Jaina Method Of Curing

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

Page 89

Evidential Story - 30
There was a poor farmer named Gopal. For three consecutive years it had not rained therefore the crops were very poor. His yield was less than the seeds he was sowing. The interest he owed to the money lender became double the principal amount. Then he had three daughters to marry, who were fast growing. When Gopal could not earn from his fields he took up the job of a shepherd under the king. But here also his earnings were so meagre that he had to remain hungry for days. How could poor Gopal have faith in removing his miseries? So like others he too knocked the doors of Pandits, pujarees, malavies etc. Borrowed some money to please them to satisfy their whims. But found no solace for his troubles. By his good fortune, one day Gopal went to a digambar munishri Dharmakirtiji and said, Lord! I am ignorant. We are suffering from extreme poverty. Please let us know some way out of these miseries. The king muniraj blessed him and said "to be rich or poor is the fruit of your deeds. The worry about keeping the hearth burning (running the kitchen) makes many good people also stray away from True religion at the sametime. You follow the noble virtues and chant the 30th and 31st shloka of Bhaktamar stotra regularly to free yourself from poverty". Next morning when Gopal took the cattle to the forest for raizing, he sat on a clean piece of rock closed his eyes and started reciting the 30th and 31st shloka of Bhaktamar stotra. But he would open his eyes in between to see whether some devi has appeared. Sometimes he would throw a glance towards his cattle to check that they were all there. He couldn't gain much due to lack of proper concentration. He considered Bhaktamar stotra like the pujas done by pandits therefore he could not have unshakeable faith in it.
After the king of Haripur died there was a confusion about his successor. The king had no son so the chiefs began to fight among themselves. At last the sarpanch of the place held a meeting and got the king's elephant decorated and gave it a flower garland. It was announced in the city that whoever the elephant garlands will be the undisputed successor of the king. Hearing this announcement people started walking in front of, beside and behind the elephant, hoping it would garland them. That day Gopal was returning from the forest with the cattle. Chanting the Bhaktamar stotra. Hearing lots of noise he proceeded in that direction out of curiosity. He saw an elephant running towards him carrying a garland in (its) trunk. He got scared, sensing danger started running away from the elephant, chanting 30th and 31st shloka of Bhaktamar stotra. But the elephant did not stop. Then Gopal shut his eyes and started praying the shloka aloud. Gopal sensed that the elephant was trying to touch his neck. Reciting the shloka he was running to save his neck and the elephant was running behind him with the garland. At last after some running around, the elephant succeeded in garlanding Gopal. The sarpanch announced Gopal, as the king of Haripal kingdom and congratulated him. Gopal was crowned. Now he understood the whole thing. In his heart he prostrated at the feet of Lord Adinath. His faith and devotion towards Bhaktamar stotra knew no bounds. All around people shouted hail victory to the new king and took him with great honours, to the throne. The cows were also following him happily that their protector and guard has now become the protector of the kingdom.
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