Ardrakumar Charitram

This is a comprehensive summary of the Jain text "Ardrakumar Charitram" by Shubhshil Gani, based on the provided pages:

Ardrakumar Charitram: The Life Story of Ardrakumar

The "Ardrakumar Charitram" recounts the spiritual journey of Ardrakumar, a prince from the land of Aryavarta (likely India). The narrative begins by establishing the profound spiritual benefit of beholding the image of a Jina, comparing it to the instant enlightenment experienced by Ardrakumar.

The Early Life and Friendship:

Ardrakumar was the virtuous son of King Ardrak, who ruled the prosperous island of Ardra. His mother was Queen Shila. Their life was filled with mutual affection. Meanwhile, King Shrenik of Magadha sent his minister to the island of Ardra with gifts and a friendly letter for King Ardrak.

Upon receiving the gifts and learning about King Shrenik, Ardrakumar, filled with curiosity and a desire for friendship, inquired about Shrenik's family. He learned that Shrenik had a son named Abhaykumar. Ardrakumar, known for his intelligence and generosity, expressed a strong desire to befriend Abhaykumar. He instructed the visiting ministers to inform him before their departure, as he wished to send a gift to Abhaykumar.

The Initiation and the Gift of the Jin Statue:

Ardrakumar, eager to foster this friendship, sent valuable jewels and other precious items to Abhaykumar through his own ministers. Abhaykumar, upon receiving these gifts and Ardrakumar's message, recognized Ardrakumar's potential for spiritual liberation. He believed that Ardrakumar, despite being born in a land not directly associated with the Tirthankaras, was destined for liberation due to his desire for friendship.

To facilitate Ardrakumar's spiritual awakening, Abhaykumar devised a plan. He sent a intricately crafted box containing a statue of the first Tirthankara, Rishabhadeva (also known as Yugadish), along with items for worship. He instructed his own ministers to deliver this box to Ardrakumar, emphasizing that it should be opened privately. Abhaykumar also sent a heartfelt letter expressing his deep affection and desire for friendship. The letter contained a verse expressing his longing to see and hear about Ardrakumar's virtues.

Ardrakumar's Spiritual Awakening:

Upon receiving the box and the letter, Ardrakumar was filled with wonder at the exquisite gift. He placed the statue on his head, chest, and heart, but found no external beauty in it. He then placed the adorned statue on a throne, contemplating its form. This act of contemplation, fueled by the sight of the Jin statue, triggered his Jatismaran (remembrance of past lives).

He recalled his previous life as a wealthy householder named Sathaka in Vasantpura. In that life, his wife was Bandhumati. Together, they had listened to the teachings of Acharya Sushthit, embracing the vows of a lay follower (shravak). However, through negligence and attachment, Ardrakumar had broken these vows. Later, his wife Bandhumati died. Overcome with grief and attachment, he also died and was reborn as a celestial being (deva). However, due to the consequence of breaking his vows, he was subsequently reborn in the land of Anarya (a non-Jain land) as Ardrakumar.

He realized that Abhaykumar, by sending the Jin statue, had acted as a true benefactor and spiritual guide. Ardrakumar decided to go to Magadha and meet Abhaykumar to embrace the Jain faith and fulfill his life.

Obstacles and Determination:

When Ardrakumar expressed his desire to visit Magadha to his father, King Ardrak, his father, fearing the dangers of travel and the distance from their kingdom, forbade him. The king also secretly posted guards to prevent Ardrakumar from leaving. However, Ardrakumar, filled with an unshakeable longing for spiritual pursuit, found ways to overcome these obstacles. He would ride his horse to the outskirts of the city with his guards and then return, gradually making the guards less vigilant. He also maintained their loyalty by providing them with enjoyable food and drink.

The Journey and Renunciation:

Ardrakumar secretly prepared a ship and, with the Jin statue and his valuable possessions, set sail. He reached the city of Lakshmipur, where he met Jain Acharyas. Listening to their sermons on detachment and the transient nature of worldly pleasures, Ardrakumar's heart was filled with renunciation. He decided to renounce all his possessions and embrace the ascetic life. However, a guardian deity (Shasan Devata) appeared and advised him that it was not yet the right time for him to take initiation, as he still had some karmic consequences to experience. She told him that after experiencing these consequences, he could take initiation.

Despite the deity's advice, Ardrakumar's strong resolve led him to take initiation, despite the deity's attempt to dissuade him. He lived a life of strict asceticism.

Encounter with Shrimati and the Mark of the Elephant:

During his travels, Ardrakumar reached Vasantpura and stayed in a temple in the Kayotsarga (meditative posture). In this city lived a wealthy merchant named Dhanadatta, whose daughter was Shrimati. Shrimati, along with her friends, came to the temple for a game of choosing a groom. While her friends chose pillars, Shrimati, seeing Ardrakumar in his meditative state, chose him as her husband. At that moment, the guardian deity applauded her choice and showered jewels.

Shrimati approached Ardrakumar, declaring him as her husband and expressing her love. Ardrakumar, feeling the imminence of experiencing the karmic consequence the deity had spoken of, and fearing that this situation might lead to the breaking of his vows, left the place. The king, wanting to reward Shrimati for her choice and the divine intervention, gave her the showered jewels.

Shrimati's Vow and Ardrakumar's Return:

When suitors came to marry Shrimati, she steadfastly refused, declaring that only the muni she had chosen would be her husband, or she would embrace self-immolation. Her father, knowing the transient nature of muni's stay, expressed his doubts about her finding him. Shrimati, however, remembered a unique elephant-shaped mark on Ardrakumar's foot and vowed to find a muni with that mark. Her father agreed to her resolve.

Shrimati took a vow to offer food and drink to any muni who came from the four directions and then worship their feet. For twelve years, she diligently followed this vow.

The Son's Intervention and the Vow's Fulfillment:

During this time, Ardrakumar, due to his past karma, arrived in Vasantpura again. Shrimati, recognizing him by the elephant mark, met him. She reminded him of her choice and his departure, threatening self-immolation if he rejected her. Ardrakumar, remembering the deity's prophecy, realized that this was the karmic consequence he had to face. He agreed to marry her to fulfill his karmic debt.

After their marriage, they had a son. As Ardrakumar contemplated taking initiation again, his son, seeing him preparing for it, tied his father's feet with threads. Ardrakumar understood this to be a sign from the deity and vowed to stay at home for as many years as there were threads (twelve years).

Final Renunciation and Liberation:

After twelve years, Ardrakumar, detached from worldly life, took his final vows of renunciation. He then went to the city of Rajagriha. On his way, he encountered his former guards, who had become bandits. He preached to them about the virtues of Jainism, and they all took initiation with him.

In Rajagriha, they witnessed some ascetics consuming elephant meat. Ardrakumar preached against violence and the consumption of meat. An elephant, bound by chains by these ascetics, recognized Ardrakumar, broke its chains, and approached him. Ardrakumar advised the elephant to embrace Jainism or undertake a fast. The elephant chose to fast. Witnessing this, the ascetics were also inspired to embrace the path of non-violence.

King Shrenik and Abhaykumar, hearing of these events, came to meet Ardrakumar. Ardrakumar explained that Abhaykumar had been instrumental in his spiritual awakening by sending the Jin statue. Inspired by Ardrakumar's journey, Abhaykumar also expressed his desire for initiation, but his father, King Shrenik, advised him to wait due to his mother's frail health and the potential for blame. Abhaykumar continued to follow the Jain faith as a lay follower.

Ardrakumar, along with Shrenik and Abhaykumar, paid homage to Lord Mahavir. Lord Mahavir delivered a sermon emphasizing the importance of pure conduct for liberation from the cycle of birth and death. Ardrakumar diligently followed the path of pure conduct, burned away his karmic impurities through penance, attained omniscience (Kevalgyan), and finally attained liberation (Mukti).

Conclusion:

The "Ardrakumar Charitram" concludes by highlighting the immense merit of beholding Jin images and emphasizes that through righteous conduct and the blessings of spiritual guides, one can achieve ultimate liberation. The text was published by Pandit Shravak Hiralal Hansraj of Jamnagar.