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PRABUDDHJEEVAN
MAY 2017
THE STORY OF UDAYAN MANTRI
By Dr. Renuka Porwal
In Jainism, the renowned King Kumarpal of Solanki dynasty is proudly referred to while singing the MangalArati in the front of the Tirthankaras. He had a noble virtuous chief minister Udayan, who had served the nation since the time of King Siddharaj. In the 12th century, King Siddharaj built a town Karnavati in memory of his father Karnadeva. The growth and rise of Jainism began by Udayan in this newly formed Karnavati in Gujarat state. He worked hard under the reign of both Solanki Kings.
Udayan was an ordinary merchant staying at Vaghara near Jalore in Rajasthan. He and his wife Suhadevi both moved to Gujarat when they came to know about the flourishing city of Karnavati. The city was developing very fast as it had better economic prospects. The couple - Udayan and Suhadevi reached Karnavati after a long hard journey from Rajasthan. They did not know anyone, so first they went to a Jaina shrine for darshan. There they met a religious lady, Sravika Lachchhi who took them to her house. Later on she offered them an old house for shelter. Udayan started a small business.
Luck favoured him and he earned a good amount of money. They were happy in Karnavati and planned to renovate their house. While digging the ground, they came across a hidden treasure. Since Udayan was very honest, he rushed to Sravika Lachcchi and offered her the treasure. Sravika refused to accept the same as she had gifted the house to him, so the treasure too belonged to him.
Udayan then started a large scale business and soon became the richest man in Karnavati. In 1120 A.D. he received good status and position as the governor of Khambhat from the King Siddharaj which later on was continued by Kumarpal. As suggested by Queen Mother Minaladevi, he abolished the pilgrimage tax. His loyalty towards Solanki kings was unquestionable.
He also helped Acharya Hemachandra to hide Kumarpal from the killers sent by Siddharaj. After the death of Siddharaj, Kumarpal became the King of Gujarat. Once Kumarpal sent Udayan to overpower a gangster in Saurashtra. For this purpose he had to pass through Palitana, where he went for darshana. On top of the hill, there was a wooden shrine, where he saw a mouse moving around with a lit cotton-batti in his mouth. He immediately recovered it and realising the dangerous situation of the wooden temple, vowed to construct a new marble shrine. His image on camel back can be seen in Papa-punya-nibari, on the way to the main shrine at Palitana.
Udayan used his wealth to expand Jainism. He constructed several Jaina shrines at Khambhat, Dholaka, Karnavati, etc. He couldn't survive his encounter with the gangster in Saurashtra. Before he died, he took a promise from his four sons - Ambad, Bahad, Chahad and Sollak, that they would renovate the shrine of Palitana.
The pair of King Kumarpal and his minister Udayan contributed much to promote Jainism. The story of brave minister Udayan always inspires us.
THE PRAYER
The fewer the words, the better the prayer. To be spiritual is not to reject reason, but to go beyond it. Retual is the way we carry the presence of the secred. Ritual is the spark that must not go out. Worship is the highest act of which man is capable. It not only stretches him byond all the limits of his finite self to affirm the devine depth of mystery and holiness in the living and eternal God, but it opens him at the deepest level of his being to an act which unites him most realistically with his fellow man.
Prayer, the act of worship, takes a passing moment something smaller and makes it last forever. • A single grateful thought towards heaven is the most complete prayer
