Book Title: Sachitra Tirthankar Charitra
Author(s): Amarmuni, Shreechand Surana
Publisher: Padma Prakashan

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Page 46
________________ *14 अजित सम्भव नन्दन सुमति पद्मप्रभ सिंह वृषभ After one year of meritorious charity, Rishabhdev sat in the palanquin named Sudarshan and arrived in the Siddharth-vana garden. It was the eighth day of the dark half of the month of Chaitra when, under an Ashok tree, Rishabhdev abandoned all his apparals and ornaments. He started pulling out his long strands of hair. After four fistfuls, when he was pulling out the fifth fistful of hair Indra said, "Sire ! This strand of hair on the crown of your head and hanging down over your shoulders looks attractive. Kindly leave it as it is.” Rishabhdev agreed. Due to this bunch of hair he got the popular name-Keshariya ji (one with hair). The king of gods collected the hair pulled out by Rishabhdev in a divine cloth and immersed them in the divine ocean of milk. Following the example of Rishabhdev many of his subordinate rulers as well गज as common people got inspired to embrace the ascetic way of life. It is mentioned in scriptures that with Rishabhdev four thousand others also took Diksha. (R-3) The First Charity After becoming an ascetic, Rishabhdev took the vow of total silence and started wandering accompanied by other ascetics. When, after his penances, he went out to beg for food, he did not get anything to eat. The common people of that age were ignorant about the practice of giving food as alms. They did not even appreciate the need to do so. Whenever Rishabhdev approached them, they offered him respect and valuable gifts as they would to a king. Rishabhdev would then proceed ahead without accepting anything. As time passed the लक्ष्मी accompanying ascetics conferred among themselves and decided to eat fruits and vegetables naturally available. They slowly drifted away from Rishabhdev and the true ascetic way of life. After one entire year of wandering from place to place and doing harsh spiritual practices without touching any food or water Rishabhdev decided to beg food once again. He came to Hastinapur town. पुष्पमाला Bahubali's son, Somprabh, was the king of Hastinapur. His son Shreyans Kumar saw a dream during the night that Suvarnagiri, the golden mountain, had turned black and he had brought back its golden hue by washing it with pitchers filled with milk. He narrated his dream to his father and friends, but no one could interpret its significance. (R-4/a) Shreyans Kumar was sitting in the balcony of his palace and brooding over the dream he saw last night. All of a sudden he heard the noise caused by happy masses who had seen Rishabhdev entering the town. Thousands of citizens of Hastinapur rushed toward Rishabhdev with gifts. Rishabhdev did not even look at these things and continued his graceful walk in the direction of the palace. When Shreyans saw approaching Rishabhdev, he rushed to welcome his great grandfather. After bowing at the great ascetics feet when Shreyans looked at Illustrated Tirthankar Charitra सचित्र तीर्थकर चरित्र सूर्य विमल अनन्त धर्म शान्ति Jain Education International 2010_03 For Private & Personal Use Only www.jainelibrary.org

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