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King Udāyana was the supreme lord of sixteen (16) provinces, three hundred sixty-towns including vîta bhaya, and a number of mines. He was the master of ten crowned kings including Mahāséna, numerous other kings and crowned princes, city-guards, mayors, and big travelling merchants,
King Uádayana was a devotee of Jaina Ascetics and he was well-versed in Jiva, Ajiva and other catagories propounded in Jaina Āgamas.
Conversion of Udayana to Jainism The following account ofthe conversion of King Udayana to Jainism and the defeat of king Mahasena is interesting.
Some marine merchants were on sea-voyage. Their boat was in a sinking condition due a severe tempest in the sea. The mer chants were in a critical danger A deity saved the boat and put it on the safe tract. He at the same time gave the merchants a sealed sandal-wood chest containing a handsome image of a Tirthankara prepared by himself, saying:--Here is the image of a god of gods and by its superhuman powers you will be able to sail safely" They sailed comfortably without any mishap and they reached the bank of Sidhu-Sanvira within a few days-The merchants had the image-box landed at Vitabhaya Nagara Queen Prabhavati. the chief consort of King Udayana had a beautiful temple made in her palace and having established the image with due ceremony, she was daily worshipping the image of the Tirthankara with much devotion,
King Udāyana was a staunch devotee of Tāpasas (hermits) but gradually in course of time, his faith in the Tirthankar's image became firmly established.
One day when Queen Prabhavati was dancing and King Udāyana was playing on a viņā (an Indian lute), the king became rather tmpatient on seeing the headless body of Queen Prabhâvati, and with it, the king's playing on the viņa suddenly stopped.
On the queen's askings him whether there was any fault in
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