„梂 縈Ｏ３ 蔣潮 J - Jainism, Jain Religion - colleges

done with religious or pious intent. Even cleaning the body and anointment of a Tirth are not sacred if they are not done with
equanimous and pious feelings or if they cause any destruction of any living organism. Washing it with blood can never clean
a blood stained cloth. The basis of religion is a discerning attitude. To an irrational person, even penance causes discomfort
and irritation”. This irrefutable logic of Malli Kumari silenced Choksha, but she became angry and decided to take revenge.
(ML-1/a)
Choksha decided that, in order to shatter the pride of this princess it would be best if she could be manipulated into marrying
some king who already had many wives. Cooking up her plan, she approached the king of Kampilyapur in Panchal State.
She gave a titillating description of the divine beauty of Malli Kumari and provokingly said to the king, “Your life and palace
both are lack-lustre as long as you do not marry and bring this divine beauty to your palace”. King Jitshatru was highly
impressed. He decided to seek the hand of Malli Kumari in marriage. (ML-1/b)
Change of Heart of the Six
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Kings
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The six friends of Malli Kumari’s earlier birth were born in six different royal families and inherited the kingdoms. They were-
1. King Pratibuddha of Saketpur,
2. King Chandrachhay of Champa,
3. King Rupi of Shravasti,
4. King Shankh of Varanasi,
5. King Adinashatru of Hastinapur, and
6. King Jitshatru of Panchal (Kampilyapur).
The fame of the beauty of Malli Kumari inspired all these six kings to send proposals of marriage to king Kumbh. King Kumbh
was aware of the fact that Malli Kumari was the future Tirthankar. She was to be the omniscient that is worshipped even by
kings of gods. She would never indulge in such mundane ties as marriage. He laughed at the ignorance of the proposing
kings and returned the emissaries. These kings felt insulted and marched on Mithila with their armies and lay a seize.
When king Kumbh got the challenge he became worried. Malli Kumari asked about the cause of her father’s anxiety. Kumbh
replied, “Daughter! All these kings want to marry you. My refusal has irked them and they have surrounded Mithila. I am
anxious about what should I do now!”
Malli Kumari was already aware of all these activities through her Avadhi Jnan (the capacity to know all about the physical
world). She made a plan to enlighten these friends of her last birth. In the palace garden she got a chamber made and in its
centre installed a life size statue that was her exact replica. Its inside was hollow and there was an opening hidden under the
neck. Six adjacent chambers were also erected around this central circular chamber. These six chambers had windows
opening in the main chamber. These windows were so designed that an onlooker could only see the statue and nothing else.
Making all these arrangements, Malli Kumari started putting one handful of the food she ate every day inside the hollow
statue.
Amar Muni - Tirthankar Charitra - Surana # 22
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When the stink of decomposed food, coming out of the statue on opening the lib became intolerable; Malli Kumari went to her
father. She said to her father, “Stop worrying, father, and inform the kings individually that I want to meet them to discuss
about marriage”. The king did likewise. Believing that only he had been invited, every one of the kings accepted the invitation.
At the predetermined time they all came one by one and were led to the six chambers allotted for them separately. From the
windows in their chambers each one of them gazed at the divinely beautiful statue considering it to be Malli Kumari. Everyone
was dreaming of the marriage and the happy moments thereafter. All of a sudden Malli Kumari removed the concealed cover
from the hole in the neck of the statue. The obnoxious smell of decomposed food filled the chambers. The hellish smell hit
the peeping kings and they were jolted out of their state of day dreaming. Their faces distorted with revulsion.
Panic stricken, the kings shouted, “What is all this? Why have I been locked in this chamber? It is impossible to breathe here.
Please open the doors”. It was then that Malli Kumari appeared and said, “O slaves of passions! You are totally infatuated
with female beauty. A moment ago you were admiring this earthly beauty and were nurturing a desire to possess and enjoy
it. Now a hatred for the same is evident on your distorted faces. What sort of love for beauty is this”?
The kings shouted, “Why are you trying to make fools of us? It is impossible to tolerate this stink”?
Malli Kumari asked the attendants to open the gates of the chambers. All the six kings rushed out and were surprised to see
each other. Finding the right opportunity Malli Kumari said to them, “The stink caused by just a few handfuls of food is
intolerable. Mind you, this body is nothing but a statue made of bones and flesh and maintained by the same food. Why such
infatuation for such decomposable thing? You are all friends of my last birth. Rise above this infatuation and commence once
again the terminated pursuit of purification of the self”. (ML-1/c)
All the six kings acquired Jati-smaran Jnan. They sought pardon from king Kumbh as well as Malli Kumari. Resolving to
follow the path of renunciation they left for their respective kingdoms.
Malli Kumari also announced her decision to become an ascetic. After the great charity she became an ascetic alongwith
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