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JANUARY 2016
PRABUDDH JEEVAN
47
moment and my gaze fell upon a porter - Raju who had except me. Guru's grace and the ever present just brought the provisions of our breakfast from below. parmanu's of 20 tirthankar bhagwan's who chose this I asked him if he will help support me and push me particular place to complete their bhav yatras from from behind to climb the nearby tunks for the next here. couple of hours. He willingly agreed. And so began the Before we embarked upon this Yatra - Pujyashri second leg of my journey.
Gurudev had nudged us to probe within - what is a The silent chants, the gentle coaxing of my friend teerthyatra ? What do we wish to gain from it? The and the able push from Raju drove me up...up..up and answer to this was to look at these places where the only God and Gurudev can explain how, what, when journey of tirthankar bhagwan's and millions other came and where I got the energy that I completed each and to an end and to bring about a nischay within us that every single tunk of Samedh Shikarji including the most we too forge our determination to progress upon their steepest of Chandraprabhuswami culminating finally footsteps. to Parshwanath ji's tunk and finally crashing down into
A journey of a thousand miles they say begins with the dharmashala at close to 9pm. A journey of an one step. May all our journeys begin and progress unbelievable 17 hours - but my first complete towards the end of all journeys in this year. teerthyatra of this holy holy place.
Reshma Jain I am still confused - where did I get the energy or
The Narrators the determination? It was perhaps a mix of everything
Email: reshma.jain7@gmail.com
MAHASATI DHARNI
Gujarati : Aacharya Muni Shri Vatsalyadeepji Translation : PushpaParikh It was early morning and the sweet sonorus sound not good. He tried to move near the queen. The queen of birds had started informing people about arrival of was surprised at the movement of the charioteer. The the sun. One chariot was passing through the forest. queen could realise the intention of the charioteer, so Queen Dharini of the king Dadhivahan of Kaushambi she addressed the charioteer in very harsh words, and her young daughter Vasumati were in the chariot. Please be away from me. Stop there and there only. They were being rescued to a safer place to save them Don't move an inch also. We have trusted you and from the enemy soldiers. Whole night the horses had now you are behaving like this? Instead of saving us kept running & were tired so the charioteer stopped at you are behaving in this way? You are like my brother a lonely place.
and for Vasumati you are like her father. Both the ladies were still very much fright
I AGAM
Please be away from us.' ened and worried. The king of Kaushambi was | KATHA The charioteer did not listen to her and defeated in the war. The charioteer was suc
tried to catch hold of her. The next moment cessful in rescuing the two ladies but still he was wor- only the queen took out the dagger from her waist and ried about the safely of the two ladies.
killed herself before he could do anything to her. Dharini asked, 'why have you stopped?' The chari- Vasumati shouted and lamented over her mother's oteer for the first time saw the queen's beautiful face. death. The charioteer was now stunned and the whole She was a very beautiful and brave lady. She was a atmosphere appreared very sad. Dharini died on her pius lady. The charioteer was stunned at seeing her own to save her celibacy.Her face was full of purebeautiful face. Dharini again asked him why he had ness. In the Jain Agam (the religious books) Sati stopped?
Dharini is praised a lot. Her daughter Vasumati is said The charioteer realised and said that the horses were to have become a sadhviji (lady saint) under Shraman tired. The main reason was that he had fallen in love Bhagwan Mahavir and is said to have reached the highwith the queen. The queen again and again requested est stage. She was then known as sadhvi Chandanbala. him to go still further away to a safer place but he did
* * * not listen. Both the ladies were looking very much afraid Pushpa Parikh, Kenway House, 6/B, 1st Floor, in this lonely place. The intention of the charioteer was V. A. Patel Marg, Mumbai-400 004. Tele.: 23873611.
