Abhaydan Ki Katha

Here's a comprehensive summary of the Jain text "Abhaydan ki Katha" (The Story of Fearless Giving) by Vikrant Patni, published by Jain Chitrakatha:

The story begins in the prosperous city of Ghatgaon in Malwa. Two friends, Devli, a potter, and Dharmil, a weaver, live there. Both are well-off and wish to use their wealth for good deeds. They decide to build a धर्मशाला (a resting place for travelers, especially monks and ascetics) because their city lacks one.

They successfully construct a beautiful धर्मशाला. Devli invites ascetics to stay and practice their austerities there. One day, Dharmil brings a sadhu (ascetic) to the धर्मशाला, but upon seeing him, Dharmil becomes furious. He confronts Devli, accusing him of allowing the sadhu to stay without his permission, even though Dharmil considers Devli a co-owner. Devli explains that he couldn't stop the sadhu as he is a co-owner and the sadhu was brought by Dharmil himself.

Enraged, Dharmil directly confronts the sadhu, telling him he has no right to stay and must leave immediately. The sadhu, accepting Dharmil's anger, calmly picks up his water pot and sits under a tree outside.

The next morning, Devli is upset to find the sadhu gone and worries he might have left in anger. The manager informs him that Dharmil was furious upon seeing the sadhu and insulted him, telling him to leave because the धर्मशाला is not for monks. Devli, hearing of Dharmil's disrespect and the sadhu's mistreatment, becomes enraged.

Dharmil arrives, and the two friends argue fiercely. Devli accuses Dharmil of expelling his guest, reminding him that he has half ownership of the धर्मशाला. Dharmil retorts that only those he approves of will stay there. Their anger escalates into a physical fight, and tragically, both Dharmil and Devli die in their violent confrontation.

Due to their actions driven by anger and hatred, they are reborn into animal forms. Devli is reborn as a pig, and Dharmil as a lion. They end up living in the same jungle.

One day, two Jain munis arrive and take shelter in a cave. The pig (Devli) sees them and remembers his past life as Devli, recalling that he had taken a vow to serve ascetics. He believes the munis' teachings will alleviate his suffering. However, he then smells the lion (Dharmil). The lion, smelling humans, is drawn to the cave. The pig resolves to protect the munis, while the lion intends to attack them.

The lion attacks the pig, who defends himself with his tusks. A fierce battle ensues between the lion and the pig. Ultimately, both the pig and the lion die in their struggle.

When the two munis emerge from the cave, they observe that the pig and the lion have once again killed each other in this life. The pig, having taken a vow to protect the munis, earns merit and is reborn in heaven. The lion, driven by his desire to kill, is condemned to hell.

The core message of the story emphasizes the consequences of anger, pride, and the importance of selfless service (Abhaydan - fearless giving) and adhering to vows, highlighting the karmic repercussions of one's actions in this life and beyond.