
"What was the final state of Arya Mahagiri?" Arya Vasumitra asked Arya Suhsthisuriji.
"The revered Arya Mahagiri, renowned, worshipped even by the devas and a great soul who followed the path of renunciation, often travelled to Malvadesh to offer his respects to the living idol of Swamiji alongside our revered Guru, Arya Suhastisuriji, the architect of the Sangha and benefactor of all living beings."
"The living idol of Swamiji? Why such a name?" a novice monk inquired.In response, Arya Suhsthisuriji glanced at Arya Supratibaddha Suriji, who, with a gentle smile, explained...
The tale of the Living Swamiji is quite long. It begins with Kumarnandi Soni.
"Kumarnandi was driven by lust and had built a grand harem. He spent most of his time indulging in various games and pleasures with his women. Days turned into nights, nights into months, but his insatiable desires knew no end. His lust burned like an eternal flame."
"There were two celestial beings named Hasa and Prahasa. Their master, a celestial god, had passed away, leaving his position vacant. The two celestial beings set out in search of a companion to share their pleasures. Wandering across the human realm, they arrived in Champanagari, where their eyes fell upon Kumarnandi Soni. Lustful souls are drawn to each other. Hasa and Prahasa saw in him a man immersed in a sea of indulgence, constantly playing and revelling. They thought, 'If this man becomes our master, how delightful it would be! He could provide us with endless joy and unparalleled pleasures.'"
"One night, Kumarnandi was asleep. The two celestial beings lifted him and carried him to the garden of passion. There, he woke up to find the two radiant, resplendent celestial beings standing before him, glowing with unearthly beauty. Their charm and allure far exceeded that of human women, and their seductive gestures were at their peak. Overwhelmed by desire, Kumarnandi was entranced and ran toward them to capture them. The celestial beings said, 'Become a Deva and come to us. We await you.' From that moment, Kumarnandi's 500 women seemed insignificant to him. Their bodies appeared to him as merely vessels of filth filled with waste and impurity. Disgusted, he developed a deep aversion to them."
"He endured excruciating pain to reach Hasa and Prahasa. Battling the trials of death, he finally crossed the ocean and reached the celestial beings. But they said, 'With this mortal body, you cannot partake in pleasures with us. You must relinquish your life through penance, embrace death, and only then will you have an eternity of enjoyment with us.'"
"The celestial beings returned him to Champanagari, where the lustful Kumarnandi, consumed by thoughts of Hasa and Prahasa, leapt into a fire in the middle of the city and burned to death. Compared to the flames of the desire burning within him, the external fire seemed insignificant."
"After his death, he was reborn as a celestial being named Vidyunmali. He was reunited with Hasa and Prahasa, and together they enjoyed celestial pleasures, with days passing like mere moments."
"One day, a drum came flying from somewhere and hung around his neck. He struggled to remove it, but it clung back to him. Laughing, Hasa and Prahasa said, 'Let it stay around your neck. Indradev must be preparing for a journey. We must also play this drum. Let’s go!"
"In the grand assembly of celestials, Vidyunmali arrived with his two wives. There, he saw the immense wealth and prosperity of the majestic divine beings, their radiant beauty, their opulence and splendour, and their exquisite celestial women and nymphs. Upon seeing this, his infatuation with Hasa and Prahasa waned. At that moment, another celestial being came and stood beside him. Introducing himself, he revealed that he had been Kumarnandi’s friend in his previous life. His name was Dridhadharma. Seeing Dridhadharma’s wealth, his grandeur, and his family of divine nymphs, Vidyunmali felt deeply ashamed. A sense of having been deceived arose within him."
"Now, Hasa, Prahasa, and all his wealth began to feel insignificant to him. At that moment, his friend advised him, 'Vidyunmali, devote yourself to dharma. Worship the Lord, for dharma is like the wish-fulfilling tree (Kalpavriksha). Whatever you seek from it, it will surely grant you. And even if you ask for nothing, it gives everything—completely and perfectly. Thus, dharma is greater and more supreme than even the Kalpavriksha.'"
"Dridhadharma's words came at the right time. A desire for dharma awakened within Vidyunmali’s heart. Now all his pleasures and indulgences seemed trivial and meaningless. With the same intensity and passion with which he had once pursued worldly pleasures, he now devoted himself to the pursuit of dharma."
"In the celestial realm, 'worshiping the Lord' is the sole dharma. Vidyunmali first went to pay homage to Lord Mahavira. Sitting before Him with folded hands, he gazed at Him with unwavering devotion. He absorbed every fine detail of the Lord's pure and sacred form. Previously, his eyes wandered over the contours of women’s bodies, fueling his lust. But now, as his eyes roamed over the divine form of the Lord, they were filled with devotion and reverence. The fiery land of his heart, scorched by the flames of desire, was cooled and soothed by the stream of the Lord's radiance. His heart became calm and serene. He realized the truth, essence, and substance of life. He experienced profound bliss and gratitude."
"Later, he sculpted a magnificent and exquisite idol of Lord Mahavira. The idol was so lifelike that it seemed as though Lord Mahavira Himself were seated there in person. Hence, this idol came to be known as the 'Living Swamiji.'"
With this, Arya Supratibaddha Suriji paused. A profound silence enveloped the entire gathering. All the monks were listening with complete focus and attention. Such stories of spiritual fervour and renunciation were often narrated by Arya Suhsthisuriji and Arya Supratibaddha Suriji to their ascetic family. These stories significantly contributed to the mental growth and strength of the monks.
“What happened to that idol, Gurudev?” asked a young monk. This time, Arya Suhsthisuriji replied, “Vidyunmali Dev devoted himself wholeheartedly to the Living Swamiji. He no longer found any joy in Hasa and Prahasa. Body, mind, and wealth—he dedicated everything to the devotion of the Living Swamiji. His soul became deeply connected with the Lord through his worship. His spirit ascended to such a high level that there was no coming back. He deeply regretted wasting so many years seeking external pleasures, only to realize that true happiness was within him all along, a treasure he had never sought.
"When he lived in his lustful state, his inner self was consumed by desires, dissatisfaction, longing, turmoil and suffering.However, through devotion, all of these began to subside. He understood that true happiness lay in spirituality and devotion."
"No matter how long a life may be, it eventually comes to an end, and death inevitably embraces all. Vidyunmali's long life was also nearing its end. While he had no fear of death, he was concerned about the fate of the Living Swamiji idol. What would become of it? This question lingered in his mind."
"Finally, he set out to the human realm in search of someone worthy. Just as Hasa and Prahasa had sought a lustful human, Vidyunmali now sought a pious soul. His search led him to the Sindh region, a land bordered by the sea on one side and desert territories on the other. Through miraculous means, Vidyunmali delivered the Living Swamiji idol to King Udayan of the Sindhu Sauvira kingdom. King Udayan and Queen Prabhavati became devoted worshippers of this divine idol."
"The queen had a maidservant who was a hunchback. Through the devotion to this deity and the blessings of a Siddha Yogi, she transformed into a radiant, golden-skinned woman. The Siddha Yogi granted her a boon, allowing her to wish for anything she desired. Using this boon, she wished to have the powerful King Chandpradyot of Malwa as her husband."
"Under the influence of the boon, Chandpradyot crossed the river and came to the Sindhu region. He abducted Swarnagulika (the maidservant) and took the original Living Swamiji idol along with her. In its place, he left an identical replica of the Living Swamiji. The next day, the flowers offered to the idol withered, revealing that the idol had been switched."
"Udayan crossed the desert and waged war against Chandpradyot, inflicting a heavy defeat upon him. Udayan captured the powerful king Chandpradyot and imprisoned himin a cage , dragging him from the city of Ujjain in Malwa all the way to Vitabhayanagar in Sindhu Sauvira. However, when Udayan attempted to take the Living Swamiji idol back to Sindhu Sauvira, the celestial guardians
(Adhishthayak deva)intervened and declared that the fate of Vitabhayanagar was ominous. Therefore, the idol should remain in Malwa. From that day onward, the Living Swamiji idol was established in the city of Vidisha in Malwa. Udayan released Chandpradyot, recognizing him as a fellow follower of dharma, and returned to Vitabhayanagar."
"Chandpradyot's new queen, Swarnagulika, became a devout worshiper of the Living Swamiji. Chandpradyot also realized that it was only due to the divine grace of the Living Swamiji that he was saved from the clutches of death at the hands of Udayan. He, too, became a devotee of the deity. The wealthy merchant community, known as Bhrajil Shravakas, frequently visited to witness the Living Swamiji. In their honour, Chandpradyot established the city of Bhrajil near Vidisha. To maintain the temple, he allocated twelve thousand villages for its upkeep. The grand procession of the Living Swamiji idol used to be carried out in Ujjain too. Arya Suhastisuri and Arya Mahagiriji visited this temple several times to worship the Living Swamiji idol."
"In Pataliputra, the actions of Vasubhuti Seth caused great distress to Arya Mahagiriji. Subsequently, Arya Supratibaddhasuriji investigated the matter. Even before this, due to the lenient approach of Gurudev Suhastisuriji, a slight dissatisfaction could be observed within the circle of Arya Mahagiriji and his disciples. They believed that discipline should be upheld with strict adherence to the vows, for only then could human life remain in control. Otherwise, numerous corruptions would seep in, and eventually, only the facade of discipline would remain, while internally, it would be something entirely different."
"Monks! Gurudev was always concerned about increasing the number of ascetics, while the revered Mahagiriji was deeply concerned day and night about improving the quality of ascetics. He often said that Lord Mahavira had foretold that in the coming days, there would be significant laxity in ascetic practices. Therefore, we must be cautious. Following this belief, he himself lived a life of extreme renunciation, akin to that of a Jinkalpi. He also urged his disciples to live a similar life. Consequently, he had few disciples. But this did not bother him. After all, lions never roam in herds in the jungle, do they?"
"After the incident with Vasubhuti Shreshthi, many other minor events took place, and Arya Mahagiriji decided to undertake a fast unto death."
"A fast unto death?" a young monk exclaimed in surprise.
"Yes, Muniraj! Why is that so surprising? When the body becomes incapable of spiritual practice, when its strength diminishes, then undertaking a fast unto death (Sannyasa or Sallekhana), which involves complete renunciation, is the most appropriate course of action for a seeker. What is surprising about that?"
"Forgive me, Gurudev," said the young monk. His face reflected curiosity mingled with deep emotion. His sensitive demeanor was so moving that even the most composed ascetics would feel an urge to show affection toward him. This was one of the reasons Arya Suhsthisuriji and Arya Supratibaddhasuriji had brought him along. During their journey to Kalinga, he was expected to be of great assistance.
"My question is this: why did the leader of the entire Sangha, the revered Mahagiri, choose to undertake fasting unto death (anashan)? And after him, who will lead the Sangha?"
"He formally appointed Gurudev Arya Suhsthisuriji as the leader of the ascetic Sangha before accepting the vow of anashan. However, many of Mahagiri's direct disciples, who led lives of intense renunciation, had already sought his permission and decided to go to the sacred sites of Kumaragiri and Kumarigiri in Kalinga to continue their spiritual practices. Gurudev wished for all the ascetics to spend a little more time together, to remain united, but this wish remained unfulfilled."
"There was no division, no disagreement. Everyone's hearts were in harmony. They all set out on their spiritual journeys, albeit along different paths. One path was extremely steep and challenging, like climbing a mountain directly to its peak—straining the heart. The other path was winding and gradual, like a circular mountain pass, easier and less arduous. Yet the ultimate goal was the same: to make the mind radiant like the full moon, to achieve self-realization, and to become one with the Supreme Soul."
"After offering veneration to the idol of the Living Swamiji, Arya Mahagiri set out toward Dasharnadesh. Gurudev and his disciple family, including all of us, followed him. At the same time, Mahagiri's disciples, including Arya Uttar and Arya Balissah, also accompanied him toward Dasharnakoot. This Dasharnakoot, also known as the Gajagrapada Tirth, became the place where Arya Mahagiri accepted his vow of anashan."
"Arya! What is the history behind these two names—Dasharnakoot Mountain and Gajagrapada Tirth?" asked a young monk.
"This tale dates back to the time of Lord Mahavira. In the ancient Dasharna region, which has existed since time immemorial, the Lord was wandering. The celestial beings constructed a samavasarana (divine assembly). It was an occasion for the Lord’s sermon. King Dasharnabhadra displayed all his royal grandeur and wealth to host a magnificent celebration for the Lord."
"When Saudharmendra, the King of the celestials, perceived King Dasharnabhadra's intentions, he realized that the king’s devotion to the Lord was tainted with a sense of pride in his wealth and grandeur. Thus, Saudharmendra decided to intervene. He descended from the celestial realm with the divine elephant Airavata."
"From afar, a colossal elephant appeared, becoming clearer as it approached. Seated atop this enormous elephant was the grand figure of King Saudharmendra. The elephant had eight tusks, and something appeared to be on those tusks.What was that? It was not clear."
"As the elephant came closer, the eight tusks revealed seven intricately carved stepwells. Something seemed to be inside those stepwells, but it still wasn’t clear."
"When the elephant came even closer, the seven stepwells revealed seven fully bloomed lotuses. And atop those lotuses, there was something more."
"Finally, as the elephant approached further, on the lotuses, there appeared thirty-two celestial beings, including Gandharvas and Apsaras, performing the most exquisite dances and dramatic performances."
"On this elephant, the celestial beings showered flowers. Lord Mahavira was seated in the samavasarana on Dasharnakoot Mountain. The elephant circled the mountain three times, making it appear as if one mountain was circumambulating another. Then, Saudharmendra commanded Airavata to descend onto the mountain. As the elephant’s front two feet touched the earth, they left deep impressions. Since that time, the site became known as Gajagrapada Tirth."
"All of King Dasharnabhadra’s pride dissolved. He dismounted his own elephant, performed panchamusti loch (plucking out his hair in fistfuls as a symbol of renunciation), and relinquished his kingdom. He approached Lord Mahavira’s feet and embraced the life of great renunciation. Saudharmendra, who was still present, said, 'O Rajarshi, what you have done is beyond my capability. You have triumphed, and I have been defeated.' With folded hands and a bowed head, Saudharmendra bid farewell to Rajarshi Dasharnabhadra."
"From that moment, Gajagrapada Tirth on Dasharnakoot Mountain became renowned as one of the most sacred pilgrimage sites. It was here that Arya Mahagiri accepted anashan (fasting unto death)."
"Then how did Aryabalissahji reach Kumaragiri Mountain?" asked a monk who had been sitting silently until now among the group of seven ascetics. His question was pertinent and brought all the monks from the depths of history back to the present moment."
(To be Continued...)
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