Book Title: Tirthankar Parshvanath
Author(s): Bipin Doshi, Ila Shah
Publisher: Sureshdada Jain and Family Mumbai

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Page 10
________________ At that time another powerful ruler named Yavan was ruling over Kaling. He knew about Prabhavati and wanted to marry her. When he heard about the plan of Prasenjit to offer Prabhavati to the prince of Varanasi, Yavan decided to get her by force. Accordingly, he took a large army with him and surrounded Kushasthal. Prasenjit was no match for him. He therefore secretly sent a messenger to king Ashvasen with a request for help. When Ashvasen heard the messenger, he got ready with his army. Parshvakumar however did not like that his father should take that trouble. He therefore, volunteered to go in his place and proceeded towards Kushasthal with a large force. For a while, Yavan tried to belittle the force of Varanasi. Ultimately however he heeded to saner advice and agreed to retreat from Kushasthal. Prasenjit then welcomed Parshvakumar with valuable presents and due respect. He then put forth his proposal for marrying his daughter. Parshvakumar was however not inclined to get married and indicated his intention to go back to Varanasi. Prasenjit then decided to use the good offices of king Ashvasen for that purpose. Accordingly, he decided to go with Parshvakumar to Varanasi along with his daughter. King Ashvasen was very impressed by the beauty, grace and talents of Prabhavati. He and Vamadevi therefore prevailed upon their son to marry Prabhavati. The wedding ceremony was performed with all the pomp and splendor and Parshvakumar started passing happy days with Prabhavati. Encounter with Kamath At that time there was a Tapas (a monk doing penance) named Kamath. He had lost his parents in childhood and was raised as an orphan. Being disgusted of his miserable life, he had become a monk and was undergoing severe penance. He came to Varanasi for performing a Panch Agni (five fires) penance. Many people were impressed by his penance and were going to that place for worship. When Parshvakumar came to know of that, he realized the violence of live beings involved in the fire. He came there and tried to dissuade Kamath from the sacrificial fire. Kamath did not agree that life of any being was at stake on account of his performance. By his extra sensory perception, Parshvakumar could observe that there were snakes in the wood that was put in the sacrificial fire. He asked his servants to take out that wood and to shear it carefully. Twin serpents were half burnt and already on the verge of loosing their consciousness. Parshwa asked his servants to let the twin serpents listen the "Namaskar Mahamantra."Servants obliged to the order and recited Mahamantra. At the end of their life, the snakes went to Patal-loka and turned to be husband and wife as Dharnendra and Padmavati respectively. hona nahi mare For Private Personale Only

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