Madanrekha Charitram

Here is a comprehensive summary of the Jain text "Madanrekha Charitram" by Shubhshil Gani:

Madanrekha Charitram: A Tale of Virtue, Perseverance, and Spiritual Attainment

The "Madanrekha Charitram," authored by Shubhshil Gani and published by Hiralal Hansraj, narrates the inspiring life story of Madanrekha, a virtuous woman who navigates numerous trials with unwavering chastity and devotion to Jain principles.

The story begins in the city of Sudarshana, where King Maniratha of Bharatkhand rules. His younger brother, Yugabahu, is the crown prince, and his beloved consort is Madanrekha. King Maniratha becomes infatuated with Madanrekha's beauty and, driven by lust, attempts to lure her. He sends her lavish gifts through a maid, but Madanrekha, with a pure heart, accepts them as tokens of respect from her elder, considering him akin to a father. She firmly rejects Maniratha's advances, emphasizing the importance of chastity and the dire consequences of infidelity, which lead to hellish rebirths. She declares that if anyone tries to force her while her husband is alive, she would choose death over compromising her virtue.

Driven by his unfulfilled desire, Maniratha devises a wicked plan. He decides to eliminate his brother, Yugabahu, believing that Madanrekha will then willingly accept him. He waits for an opportune moment to kill Yugabahu.

Meanwhile, Madanrekha has a dream of seeing the full moon, which Yugabahu interprets as a sign of a noble and virtuous son. Soon after, Madanrekha conceives. Her pregnancy cravings (dohada) include performing Jinendra puja, pleasing the gurus, listening to religious discourses, and sharing them.

During the spring season, Yugabahu and Madanrekha go to a garden outside the city. That night, Yugabahu sleeps in a plantain grove. King Maniratha, seeing his brother alone, enters the grove with a sword. He tricks Yugabahu into thinking he has a message and then fatally strikes him with his sword. Even as he is dying, Yugabahu, with his immense virtue, states that this is not his brother's fault but a consequence of his own past deeds.

Yugabahu's loyal soldier, Subhata, arrives and, upon seeing the scene, is told by the dying Yugabahu to forgive Maniratha, as it's his own karma. Maniratha, thinking his plan succeeded, flees home but is immediately bitten by a snake and dies.

Yugabahu's son, Chandrayasha, goes to find a physician for his father. Madanrekha consoles her dying husband, advising him to accept his karma and find solace in Dharma. Yugabahu, forgiving everyone and reflecting on the impermanence of life, passes away and is reborn as a celestial being in Brahmadeva Loka.

Madanrekha, heartbroken and fearing Maniratha's advances if he survives, decides to abandon her home and go to the forest to protect her virtue. After bathing and drinking water, she rests in a plantain grove. On the seventh day, she gives birth to a son. She places a ring with Yugabahu's name on the infant's finger, wraps him in a jewel-studded blanket, and leaves him under a tree. While washing her clothes in a nearby lake, she is swept away by a water elephant.

At that moment, a celestial being named Maniprabha, son of Vidyadhar King Manichuda, who is on his way to Nandishwar Dwipa, rescues her from the sky. Captivated by her beauty, he takes her to Vaitadhya mountain. Madanrekha reveals her story, including leaving her infant son. Maniprabha, whose father has renounced the world and become a monk, offers to help her. He informs her that her son was found by King Padmaratha, who had lost his horse, and was raised by his queen, Pushpamala, in Mithila.

Madanrekha, realizing the danger of Maniprabha's desires, tries to delay him by requesting to visit Nandishwar Dwipa first. There, she worships the eternal Jinatana and meets Munishwar Manichuda. Maniprabha's father, Manichuda, aware of his son's thoughts, delivers a sermon about the perils of the wrong path, including adultery.

After the sermon, Maniprabha accepts Madanrekha as his sister and offers to help. He reveals that her son is flourishing with another prince. Meanwhile, a divine chariot arrives, and a celestial being descends, bows to Madanrekha, and then to Manichuda. The celestial being explains that he bows to Madanrekha because she guided Yugabahu to attain perfect meditation, which led to his celestial rebirth. The muni affirms that true gratitude lies in helping someone attain Dharma.

The celestial being asks Madanrekha what she desires, but she expresses her aspiration for Moksha, the ultimate liberation. However, she asks to be taken to Mithila to see her son before renouncing the world. In Mithila, they visit the temples and then the nunnery, where they receive religious instruction. The muni then reveals that Madanrekha's son is living happily with King Padmaratha's son, Vardhamana.

While they are discussing this, a divine chariot arrives, and a celestial being descends, bows to Madanrekha, and then to the muni. The celestial being explains that he bows to Madanrekha because she guided his previous life as Yugabahu to attain perfection in meditation, leading to his current celestial status. Madanrekha, seeking only Moksha, asks to be returned to Mithila to take initiation.

In Mithila, Madanrekha takes initiation and leads a life of severe penance. King Padmaratha, finding his son named Nami, brings him to the palace. Nami grows up, receives education, marries many princesses, and eventually becomes a king. His father, Padmaratha, renounces the world and attains liberation.

Meanwhile, King Maniratha, who killed Yugabahu, dies and goes to the fourth hell. In Mithila, the two brothers, Nami and Chandrayasha, are united. Chandrayasha, who has been ruling in the absence of his father and brother, is told by their mother, Pushpamala, that Nami is his brother. Chandrayasha renounces his kingdom, and Nami becomes king.

One day, King Nami falls ill with a fever. The sound of bangles worn by his wives aggravates his pain. Upon learning this, he decides to renounce the world. He has a dream of an elephant that heals him. This experience awakens his past life memories, revealing that he had previously practiced asceticism and achieved celestial status. He makes his son the king and takes initiation.

Indra, disguised as a Brahmin, tests Nami, questioning his renunciation. Nami calmly explains that his actions are for his own liberation, not to please others. He asserts that he has conquered his inner enemies like attachment and aversion. Indra, pleased with Nami's steadfastness, praises him and departs. Nami continues his severe penance, attains omniscience, and achieves liberation. Madanrekha, also a nun, performs intense austerities and attains liberation.

The "Madanrekha Charitram" thus concludes, highlighting the profound virtues of chastity, faith, and perseverance in the face of adversity, ultimately leading to spiritual emancipation. The text emphasizes the Jain principles of karma, reincarnation, and the pursuit of liberation through righteous conduct.