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Shri Mahavir Jain Aradhana Kendra
www.kobatirth.org
Acharya Shri Kailassagarsuri Gyanmandir
subjected to three-day-lorg fast. If only all the conditions of his vow were fulfilled, then he would accept the food offered.
What an austere vow of Tirthankara Mahavira. The conditions were so difficult that they could be hardly fulfilled. So passed five months and twenty-five days. He went to the house of Dhanavaha, a rich merchant, asking for food in alms. Dhanavaha had a maid-servant named Chandana. She had been captured from the city of Champa by the so diers of a victorious army. The merchant Dhanavaha had then bought the girl from a slave. market at a high price and had brought her to his house in Kaushambi to be a maid-servant. In fact she was the daughter of King Dadhivahana and Queen Dharini and her real name was Vasumati. Though she was Dhanavaha's maid-servant, he looked after her as he would look after his own daughter.
When Dhanavaha would return from his business trips, Chandana would bring water and pour it on his feet to wash them. Once, when she bent low to pour the water, her hair fell on his feet. Dhanavaha lifted up her hair to prevent it from falling in the dirty water. Mula, Dhanavaha's wife, saw the scene secretly and the fire of jealousy flared up in her heart. When Dhanavaha went on his next business trip to another town for business, Mula severely beat Chandana, had her head clean shaven put her into iron chains and threw her into a dark cellar. She gave Chandana nothing to eat. Chandana remained hungry and thirsty for three days.
When the merchant returned to Kaushambi, he realised what had happended. He was about to go to fetch a blacksmith, when he noticed boiled black beans in a winnowing basket to feed the cattle and he gave them to Chandana to eat. He then went to fetch the blacksmith. At that point, the yogi Mahavira arrived there. Chandana was very happy to see him. She was ready to offer him the boiled black beans.
Mahavira accepted boiled black beans from Chandana and broke his sixmonth long fast. Chandana was fortunate and blessed. A shower of twelve and a half crores of gold coins rained from the skies. Five divine beings appeared. Divine words 'Wonderful donation ! Wonderful alms' rang out from the skies. The whole atmosphere resounded with the sound of divine drum beating. The iron chains on Chandana's legs turned into golden anklets and her beauty was in full bloom.
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