Shatrunjay Giriraj Darshan in Sculptures and Architecture

Author(s): Kanchansagarsuri
Publisher: Aagamoddharak Granthmala

Page 43

Shri Shatrunjay Giriraj Darshan
The preceding theories will be justified by the following religious stories :
(1) STORY OF KANDURAJ
The family Goddess of Kanduraja, Ambica, describes the magnificence of Shatrunjay saying, "O wise king, do not wander at other places, just remember Shatrunjay. Exhaust your 'Karmas' by worshipping Siddhachal."
The king of Chandrapur, Kanduraj, was on the wrong track. He caught T.B. Compassionate Ambica advised him, "in spite of earning nobility through 'Dharma', one who destroys 'Dharma' cannot flourish." The king got depressed but Ambica encouraged him to visit Giriraj. He had to pay for his 'Karmas' before he could reach Giriraj. He became a 'Sadhu,' worshipped Lord Aadishwar, exhausted his 'Karmas', became Kevali' and freed himself from the clutches of 'Samsara'.
(2) STORY OF SHUKARAJ
King Mrugadhwaj (son of king Rishabhadhwaj) was proud of his magnificent wives. A parrot in his garden insulted him saying, "You are only a frog of a well. A daughter of perceptor Gangali, Kamalmala, is the most beautiful". The king followed the parrot and worshipped 'Dada' (Aadinath), By mere co-incidence Gangali happened to be in the temple, who requested the king to visit his Ashram and accept his daughter with gratitude. Thus 'Dada' granted his prayer.
With the help of parrot, the king and the new queen, Kamalmala, reached back to their kingdom. When Kamalmala was pregnant 'Dada' informed her, "that parrot's soul has taken the form of your first son". They named him Shukaraj.
The child Shukaraj lost his speech due to the rememberance of his previous life. Shri Datta Kevali asked the child to pray with rituals and the child Shukaraj surprisingly did it aloud. Dutta Kevali explained to the king that Shukaraj was utterly confused at the cross-relations of his last two lives. His present life's father-mother were his wives in the previous life. Guru made Shukaraj known of the secrets of Samsara.
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