Mahabal Malayasundari Diwakar Chitrakatha 059

This document is a comic book in Hindi, titled "Mahabal Malayasundari Diwakar Chitrakatha 059". It is published by Diwakar Prakashan and based on a story by Sanmatimuni, Shreechand Surana. The comic is part of a series of "Diwakar Chitrakatha" (Diwakar Picture Stories).

Here's a summary of the narrative presented in the comic:

The Story of Mahabal and Malayasundari

The comic tells the story of Mahabal, a virtuous prince, and Malayasundari, a princess, set in ancient India.

Page 1-2: Introduction and Theme The book begins with a quote about the consequences of actions: sowing thorns brings suffering, while sowing flowers brings happiness. It emphasizes that malice returns tenfold, and goodness multiplies a thousandfold. The story highlights the human tendency to fall prey to envy, hatred, and malice, leading to self-inflicted suffering.

Page 2: Characters and Setting The narrative introduces King Viradhaval of Chandravati, who has two queens: Champakamala (virtuous and religious) and Kanakamala (harsh, envious, and ill-intentioned). Champakamala's daughter is Malayasundari, who embodies her mother's virtues. King Surpal of Pratishthanpur has a son named Mahabal, who is a religious, virtuous, and charitable young hero. Kanakamala, the stepmother of Malayasundari (though the text suggests Malayasundari is King Viradhaval's daughter, and Kanakamala is her stepmother, implying Mahabal is not Malayasundari's brother but a prince from another kingdom who becomes her love interest), tries to trouble Malayasundari. However, virtuous individuals like Mahabal and Malayasundari overcome these adversies with courage and forgiveness. The story champions righteousness and morality.

Page 3: The King's Sorrow and Champakamala's Advice King Viradhaval is troubled by his lack of children. Queen Champakamala advises him to worship Jinishwar Deva and chant the Namokar Mantra, believing that divine grace will resolve their problems.

Page 4-6: Champakamala's Ordeal and Divine Intervention The next morning, Queen Champakamala faints and is presumed dead. As her funeral pyre is prepared, a chest floats down the river. Inside, Champakamala is found alive, having been abducted by a Rakshasa (demon) and taken to a cave. In the cave, she meditates on Lord Rishabhadeva and is blessed by Goddess Chakreshvari, who grants her a son and a daughter. She receives a magical necklace called "Lakshmipunj" from the Goddess.

Page 7: Birth of Malayasundari and Kanakamala's Envy Champakamala returns home, and a year later, she gives birth to a son, Malayketu, and then a daughter, Malayasundari. Queen Kanakamala grows increasingly envious of Champakamala's favor with the King.

Page 8-10: Mahabal's Encounter and Supernatural Powers Twenty years later, Prince Mahabal, while wandering in the forest, encounters a beautiful maiden. She tempts him, but Mahabal, adhering to principles of respect for women as mothers and sisters, rejects her advances. A divine being appears, impressed by Mahabal's virtue, and grants him three Vidyas (supernatural powers): the ability to change his form, the power of attraction (Vashikarani), and a magical amulet that can alter a person's appearance.

Page 10-11: Mahabal Visits Chandravati and Meets Malayasundari Mahabal and his minister visit Chandravati to present gifts to King Viradhaval. Mahabal is struck by Malayasundari's beauty. Malayasundari also finds Mahabal attractive, and a letter of love is exchanged between them.

Page 12-13: The Secret Meeting and Kanakamala's Treachery Mahabal secretly meets Malayasundari in her chambers. Malayasundari accepts him as her husband and places the Lakshmipunj necklace on him. Kanakamala, witnessing this, wakes up the King, falsely accusing Malayasundari of meeting a man. To escape detection, Mahabal uses his power to disguise himself as Queen Champakamala.

Page 14: King's Anger and Mahabal's Return The King, believing Kanakamala's lie, banishes Queen Champakamala (who is Mahabal in disguise). Mahabal and his minister return to their kingdom. The Lakshmipunj necklace goes missing from Mahabal's room, and he pursues the thief into the forest.

Page 15: Kanakamala's Scheme and Malayasundari's Rescue Meanwhile, Kanakamala, now living with a bandit chief, instigates him to abduct Malayasundari. Malayasundari is captured but rescued by Mahabal, who had been tracking the thief of his necklace.

Page 16-18: Malayasundari's Disappearance and the Swyamvara Mahabal and Malayasundari arrive at a village near Chandravati and learn that Malayasundari has been abducted and a swayamvara (bride-choosing ceremony) has been announced. Mahabal, disguised as an astrologer, informs King Viradhaval that Malayasundari is alive and will be found in a chest outside the city gates. Malayasundari is hidden in a temple.

Page 18-19: The Chest and Mahabal's Revelation During the swayamvara, princes fail to open the chest containing Malayasundari. Mahabal, disguised as a mendicant, opens the chest with a specific knock. Malayasundari emerges, places the Lakshmipunj necklace on Mahabal, and they are married. The other princes are angered, but Mahabal reveals his true identity, pacifying them.

Page 20-21: Return and Kanakamala's Plot Mahabal and Malayasundari return to their kingdom, bringing back recovered treasures and Kanakamala. Kanakamala, seeking revenge, manipulates Malayasundari into believing a demoness attacked her. She asks Malayasundari to gather specific items, planning to frame her.

Page 21-23: The False Accusation A plague strikes Pratishthanpur. Kanakamala falsely accuses Malayasundari of being a demoness who causes the plague. King Surpal, initially disbelieving, is convinced by Kanakamala's staged demonstration. He orders Malayasundari to be abandoned in the forest.

Page 23-25: Malayasundari's Ordeal in the Forest Malayasundari, abandoned in the forest, trusts in her dharma. A lion, moved by her virtue, protects her and guides her to a cave. She later gives birth to a son. A neighboring King, seeing her, desires her and takes her and her child away, intending to force her to marry him.

Page 26-27: Mahabal's Return and Disbelief Mahabal returns victorious from war to find Malayasundari missing and learns of her supposed execution. He confronts his father, King Surpal, who reveals he ordered her death based on Kanakamala's false accusations. Mahabal is devastated and decides to leave.

Page 28-29: Mahabal's Quest and Healing Mahabal, disguised as a yogi, searches for Malayasundari. He arrives in Tilakpur, where the Queen is dying from a snakebite. Mahabal, possessing the "avasarpini vidya" and a "nagmani" (snake jewel), heals the Queen, revealing his identity to Malayasundari, who is disguised as the Queen.

Page 30-31: Reunion and King's Penance Malayasundari reveals the truth to Mahabal. Mahabal, after completing several tasks for the King, demands the return of his wife and child. The King, humbled and remorseful, allows them to leave and performs penance at a temple.

Page 32-33: Coronation and Renunciation Mahabal is crowned king, and Malayasundari becomes his queen. King Surpal and King Viradhaval, inspired by a sage's sermon, renounce their kingdoms and become ascetics. Mahabal rules justly.

Page 34-35: Final Renunciation and Legacy Mahabal and Malayasundari, after fulfilling their duties, also renounce the world and take diksha (initiation into asceticism). The story concludes with a moral lesson about the impermanence of worldly pleasures, using the allegory of a man caught between death, represented by various dangers, and the fleeting sweetness of honey, symbolizing sensual pleasures. The moral emphasizes the importance of spiritual guidance over attachment to worldly desires.

Page 36: Reference to Acharya and Jain Practices The last page mentions the Acharya Chandrasen Suri and references the Acharyanga Sutra, detailing the hardships faced by Lord Mahavir during his ascetic practice.

In essence, "Mahabal Malayasundari Diwakar Chitrakatha 059" is a Jain epic that narrates a tale of virtue triumphing over vice, divine intervention, resilience in the face of adversity, and the ultimate pursuit of spiritual liberation.