Jainism For Beginners Level 02

Author(s): Sayampurnashreeji
Publisher: Sayampurnashreeji

Page 95

there no way to escape death?” He asked himself. "What is the nature of life after all? Who am I& what is my mission in life?"
citizens of Magadha witnessed major political upheavals & turmoil. People felt dissatisfied with the current regime & looked for the end of the Nanda dynasty. King Dhananand felt insecure & was suspicious of all his ministers & advisors including Shriyak & his father Shaktal. Shaktal also knew that the king was very suspicious of him. Hence, he was worried about the political future of his younger son. Shaktal decided to sacrifice his life in order to provide proof of Shriyak's loyalty to the king. He requested his son, Shriyak, to kill him in the presence of the king & other ministers. This way the king would have proof that Shriyak was a very loyal minister. He explained to Shriyak, that prior to the execution he would swallow some poison. This way Shriyak would not truly (morally & religiously) be responsible for his father's death. & the king would feel that Shriyak was very loyal to him because he killed his own father. Thus, Shaktal arranged to die at the hands of his own son in order to prove his son's loyalty
Delving deep into these questions, he realized that the body & all worldly aspects are transitory, & physical pleasures do not lead to lasting happiness. He looked at his image in the mirror & noticed the unmistakable marks of a lustful life. He also realized that he was wasting his youth. He decided to search for lasting happiness. He left Kosha & went straight to Acharya Sambhutivijay who was the sixth successor to Lord Mahavir. Surrendering himself to the Acharya, he said that he was sick of his lustful lifestyle & wanted to do something worthwhile with his life. Here was a young man of thirty who seemed to have lost the vigour of the youth. The lustful life he had led had taken a toll on his body; but the brightness inherited from his illustrious father still glowed on his face. Seeing Sthulibhadras determine & humble state, the learned Acharya saw in him a great future for the religious order & accepted him as his pupil.
GANDHARS ACHARYAS
When Sthulibhadra learned about that tragic event, he was taken aback. By that time, he had spent twelve years with Kosha & had never cared for anyone else. His father's death was an eye opener. He started reflecting on his past. “72 long years of my youthful life! What did I get during this long period? He realized that he had not acquired anything that would endure.
The tragic end of his father brougt home the reality that all life comes to an end. "Is
Sthulibhadra did not lose much time to adjust to the new pattern of his life. The ambition that he had missed in his youth emerged in the man. He was keen to make up for lost years & devoted all his energy to spiritual upliftment. He worked diligently & in no time gained the confidence of his guru. His life as a monk was exemplary. He had successfully overcome his senses of
87