Metarya Muni Charitram - Book Summary

This document is the "Metarya Muni Charitram" (Biography of Metarya Muni), authored by Shubhshil Gani and published by Shravak Hiralal Hansraj. It was printed in Vir Samvat 2463 (1937 CE) at Shri Jain Bhaskarodaya Mudranalaya in Jamnagar. The text is intended for private and personal use only.

The biography details the life and spiritual journey of Metarya Muni, a Jain monk. Here's a summary of the key events and themes covered in the provided pages:

Early Life and Royal Lineage:

The story begins with King Chandravatansa of Saketpur, who ruled justly. He had two sons, Sagarachandra and Manichandra, from his queen Sudarshana. Sagarachandra was appointed the crown prince, and Manichandra was given the kingdom of Ujjain.
King Chandravatansa also had a second queen, Priyadarshana, who bore him two sons, Gunchandra and Balchandra.
King Chandravatansa was a pious ruler, performing charitable deeds for his worldly and spiritual welfare.

The King's Passing and Sagarachandra's Reign:

The king was performing a vow of Kayotsarga (standing in meditation) until a lamp burned out. Unaware of his vow, a maidservant kept refilling the lamp with oil, causing it to remain lit longer than intended. This prolonged meditation, combined with the exhaustion of his lifespan, led to the king's death and ascent to heaven.
Sagarachandra then ascended to the throne and ruled justly.
Sagarachandra, wanting to renounce the world, offered the kingdom to his younger brother Gunchandra. His stepmother, Priyadarshana, advised him against it, stating that Gunchandra was too young to handle the burden of the kingdom. Sagarachandra, thus advised, continued to rule.

Priyadarshana's Malice:

Priyadarshana, the stepmother, developed a deep-seated hatred for Sagarachandra, attributing it to the inherent nature of co-wives or the fickle nature of women in general.
She plotted to kill Sagarachandra. She gave a poisoned sweetmeat (modaka) to a maidservant to deliver to the king.
The maidservant met Priyadarshana on the way, who, intent on harming the king, poisoned the sweetmeat herself. She then instructed the maid to give it to the king.
Sagarachandra, seeing his younger brothers were hungry, divided the poisoned sweetmeat between them, saving himself but poisoning them.
When his brothers fell unconscious, Sagarachandra realized something was wrong. He administered an antidote, reviving them.
He confronted his stepmother, who confessed her plot. Sagarachandra, out of compassion, forgave her and her sons. He then renounced the kingdom to his younger brother Gunchandra and embraced asceticism. He later became a proficient scholar of the eleven Angas of Jain scriptures.

Sagarachandra Muni's Mission to Avanti:

Sagarachandra Muni learned that a prince named Sauvastika and a priest's son were causing suffering to monks in Avanti.
He traveled to Avanti and stayed at a monastery. He went to the royal palace to preach to the prince and the priest's son.
The prince and the priest's son challenged him to a wrestling match. During the match, Sagarachandra Muni, using his expertise, defeated them severely.
The king, upon seeing his sons injured, was enraged and ordered his soldiers to find and punish the monk responsible.
The soldiers found Sagarachandra Muni meditating in a garden. When the king arrived and questioned the monk, Sagarachandra revealed they were both brothers from a noble lineage. The king, recognizing his elder brother, felt ashamed.

The King's Plea and the Princes' Renunciation:

The king, Chandravatansa (possibly a different king or the same one having a son named Chandravatansa, as the text is a bit ambiguous here regarding the lineage at this point), pleaded with Sagarachandra Muni to forgive his sons, who had insulted monks.
Sagarachandra Muni agreed to restore their health only if they embraced asceticism.
The king persuaded his sons to accept initiation, and they were healed by the Muni. The king also received spiritual teachings from Sagarachandra Muni and engaged in meritorious deeds.

The Reincarnation of the Priest's Son:

The priest's son, who had embraced asceticism, later developed disgust towards the physical impurities associated with ascetic life and ultimately fell.
Both Sagarachandra Muni and the priest's son were reborn in the celestial realm as gods (suras).
In heaven, they remembered a promise made in a previous life: whoever among them fell from heaven would be guided back to the right path by the other.
The priest's son (now a god) was the first to fall and was reborn as the son of a chamar (outcaste) woman in Rajagriha.
This woman worked in the house of a wealthy merchant and developed a craving for meat during her pregnancy.
The chamar woman satisfied the merchant's wife's meat-eating craving, forging a strong bond between them.

Metarya's Birth and Early Life:

The merchant's wife, whose children had not survived, felt sorrow. The chamar woman, who was also pregnant, proposed an exchange of their newborns.
They exchanged their babies, and the merchant's wife's child was raised by the chamar woman.
This child was named "Metarya" by his father (the merchant).
Metarya was raised by the merchant, received a comprehensive education, and became skilled in all arts, reaching the age of sixteen.

Divine Intervention and Metarya's Destiny:

The former friend of Metarya from heaven appeared to him in divine form and reminded him of their past promise and the transient nature of the world, urging him to take initiation.
However, Metarya, engrossed in worldly pleasures, did not immediately embrace renunciation.
His father arranged his marriage to eight daughters of the Mahabhya family.

The Marriage Incident and Metarya's Trial:

As Metarya was proceeding to his wedding, his celestial friend, possessing the body of a person named Mett, spoke to Metarya's beloved, Meta.
Mett revealed that if Meta's daughter hadn't died, he would have married her himself. Meta revealed the truth to the divine-possessed Mett.
Infuriated, Mett confronted Metarya at his wedding procession, publicly questioned his choice of brides from lower families, and insisted he marry girls of his own social standing. Mett then took Metarya to his home.
In private, the divine friend reminded Metarya of their celestial promise and that despite repeated warnings, he had not attained enlightenment. He urged Metarya to fulfill his human birth through initiation.

Metarya's Transformation and the Golden Grains:

Metarya confessed his attachment to worldly pleasures but felt remorse for being exposed publicly. His friend explained the nature of the sorrowful cycle of existence.
Metarya pleaded with his friend to help him escape this "mud" of defilement. He promised to take initiation after enjoying worldly pleasures for twelve years.
The divine friend, pleased, gifted Metarya a goat that produced precious gems and some supernatural knowledge.
Metarya used the gems produced by the goat to bribe King Shrenika (or his ministers) to grant him a daughter in marriage. He would present the gems daily and ask for the hand of the princess for his son. The king, although impressed by the gems, did not grant his request.

The Test of the Goat and Metarya's Mission:

Metarya's friend, Abhay Kumar, asked about the source of the gems. Metarya explained it was from the goat.
Abhay Kumar brought the goat to the royal court, where it produced dung instead of gems. Abhay Kumar returned the goat to Metarya, realizing it was a test.
Abhay Kumar told Metarya that Lord Mahavir's presence was imminent on a mountain, but the path was difficult. He tasked Metarya with making the path accessible.
Metarya, with divine help, cleared the path and built a golden rampart.
Abhay Kumar then told Metarya that if the ocean itself were to wash his son, he would give him a princess. Metarya brought an ocean stream to bathe his son, Metarya, in front of everyone.
Despite these feats, the king still hesitated to give his daughter to Metarya, considering him of lower status.

Metarya's Virtuous Deed and Deliverance:

A goldsmith, angered by Metarya's request for his daughter, placed golden grains (yava) in Metarya's monastery.
When Metarya discovered the golden grains, he remained silent, fearing that revealing the goldsmith's deed would lead to his death.
The goldsmith, discovering the grains missing and Metarya in silence, accused him of theft and struck his head with a wet hide.
Metarya, meditating on compassion, attained omniscience at that very moment. As his lifespan ended, he attained liberation (moksha).
Meanwhile, the goldsmith's pet crane, unknowingly, passed the golden grains through its anus.
When people found Metarya dead and the golden grains, they assumed the goldsmith had killed him and feared the king's wrath.
The king, upon learning of the monk's death, sent his soldiers to apprehend the goldsmith.
The goldsmith, fearing punishment, disguised himself and his family as monks.
The soldiers reported back to the king that the goldsmith had taken monastic vows. The king, pardoning him, warned that if anyone in his family broke their vows, he would punish them.

Conclusion of Metarya's Story:

The goldsmith took initiation under Lord Mahavir and, along with his family, attained heavenly bliss through rigorous penance.
The text concludes by stating, "Thus, the story of Metarya Muni, demonstrating the fruit of vows and control of speech, has ended."

The text emphasizes themes of karma, reincarnation, the importance of righteous conduct, divine intervention, and the ultimate attainment of liberation through spiritual practices. It highlights the transformative power of faith, penance, and the guidance of enlightened beings.