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whom they loved so much. They admitted that they could not bear the foul odour.
path of liberation to others. Ultimately, she attained liberation on Mount Sametshikhar.
Malli then explained that the food she ate was the same in the statue. The food in her body did not stink because her soul prevented the rotting. However, when her soul would leave the body, her body too would start to decay. It is the nature of the body to degenerate, decay, and disintegrate Malli asked the kings, "What is the purpose of being attached to a body when it is destined to rot eventually? Is it not worthwhile to pursue something that will last forever?"
The Shvetambar tradition believes that Tirthankar Mallinath was a female and the other 23 Tirthankars were male. Idols of Tirthankars represent the qualities of the Arihantas and not their physical body. Hence, the physical appearance of the idols of all the Tirthankars is the same without any indication of male or female gender.
Asthe kings stood there in amazement, she explained that they were seven very close friends and had done everything together Upon hearing this they recalled their past lives and what they had renounced. This raised an acute sense of detachment for the short-lived worldly life. All of them decided to renounce the world in order to enhance their spiritual pursuit that they had left undone in the earlier life.
This body is a mere vessel that holds soul. Upon death, the soul simply moves to This body is a mere vessel that holds soul. Upon death, the soul simply moves to another body unless one attains liberation from the cycle of birth and death. One needs to realize that this veil of skin and flesh is mortal. Physical beauty is deceptive and temporary. Princess Malli made this point through the statue and the rotten food. The importance of our human life is that it is a means of attaining liberation from the cycle of birth and death. One needs to rise above the physical aspects of life and use this life to progress spiritually so that the soul can attain liberation.
Very elaborate arrangements were made for the renunciation ceremony of Princess Malli. She gave up everything and adopted self-initiation at a place known as Sahasramravan. She destroyed all of her destructive Karma (Ghati Karmas that affect the nature and quality of the soul) in a very short time and attained keval-jnan (omniscience) on the very same day. She became the 19th Tirthankar of the Jain religion. Thereafter she travelled throughout the country for a long time to show the
Day and night, go on telling yourself over andover 'I am atma'- 'TGICHGOHTE wheather someone speaks in favour of me or against me, I don't care. I am I. Why should I worry about the opinions of other people? I don't want to be restless sador bitter. I just want to be Be' Hammer this thought into your consciousness,
LIFE SKETCH OF TIRTHANKARAS
