Path of Arhat

Author(s): T U Mehta
Publisher: Sohanlal Smarak Parshwanath Shodhpitha Varanasi

Page 38

Origins in Eternity
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progress of Yadavas. He was therefore harrassing Yadavas by various means. Śrīkņşņa, realizing that Jarasandha would not allow Yādavas to live in peace, took all the Yadavas with him and migrated to modern Sauraşțra and established at Dvārika on the sea-shore of Arabian ocean (Modern Dvárika is not the same as established by Śrīkşşna. Dvărika established by him was near the place called 'Madhupur' on the South-western coast of Saurăștra near Verāval ).
Neminátha seems to have been brought up at Dvárika. His marriage was arranged by Srikrşņa with one Rājīmati, the sister of king ‘Kaṁsa' ( killed by Śrīkşşņa for his cruelties ) and the daughter of King 'Ugrasena' (imprisoned by son Kamsa ). While going along with his marriage party for wedding Neminitha heard the cries of animals and on inquiry was deeply moved to find that hundreds of animals, were huddled and tied mercilessly in an enclosure in order to prepare his marriage feast. This saddened his heart and a serious introspection started within him, which led him to renounce the world then and there. He asked his charrioteer to turn back. He left the wedding, became a recluse and went to nearby mount 'Revata' ( modern 'Girnár', near the town of Junagadha in South Saurāşıra ), to perform austerities, and finally obtained Kaivalya.
His would be bride Rajímatí, inspired by Neminatha's action also renounced the world, became a nun and went to mount 'Revata' for religious penances. Neminatha's real bro
r 'Rathanemi', had also renounced the world and had taken 'Sarinyasa' and was living at mount 'Revata'. Once during heavy down pour, in order to get a safe place Rathanemi entered a cave in that mount. There he found Rajimati with wet clothes stuck to her beautiful and proportionate physical frame. Attracted by the bewitching beauty of Rajímati, he made some overtures to her. Sagatious Rajímati responded by reminding him his role of a spiritual seeker and admonished him not to fall from the heights, he was striving to reach. She