Nayadhamma Kahao

The provided text is an excerpt from the Nāyādhammakahāo, specifically covering Chapter IX and Chapter XVI. This Jain text, edited by Prof. N. V. Vaidya, is part of the Svetambara Jain Canon, being the Sixth Anga. The book itself appears to be published by N. V. Vaidya.

Here's a comprehensive summary based on the provided pages:

Overall Context:

The NAYADHAMMAKAHÃO (literally "Illustrative Stories of Right Conduct") is a collection of stories that serve to illustrate Jain religious principles. The introduction provided before the main text mentions that it is a collection of tales, some of which are parables, while others are novels or adventure stories with a moral. It also highlights that the fate of individuals is often followed through various rebirths, and that Chapter XVI contains a Jain version of the story of Draupadi.

Chapter IX: The Merchant's Sons and the Deity of Ratnadvīpa

• The Premise: The chapter begins by asking about the meaning of the ninth chapter as preached by Lord Mahāvīra.
• The Story:
  • In the city of Champā, lived a wealthy merchant named Mākandi and his wife Bhadrā. They had two sons, Jinapalita and Jinaraks'ita, who were adventurous and keen on sea voyages.
  • Despite having successfully completed eleven voyages, their parents tried to dissuade them from a twelfth, twelfth voyage, considering it unlucky and dangerous. However, the sons were determined.
  • After their parents reluctantly agreed, they set sail. Soon, they encountered numerous bad omens, and their ship was wrecked by a storm and waves, leading to the loss of their merchandise and crew.
  • The two brothers, Jinapalita and Jinaraks'ita, managed to survive by clinging to a large wooden plank and drifted to an island named Ratnadvīpa.
  • On this island, they were encountered by the presiding deity of the island, Ratnadvīpadevata. She was a powerful, wicked, and adventurous goddess.
  • She took them to her opulent palace, and they lived together, enjoying various pleasures.
  • However, the deity was tasked by Susthita, the Lord of the Salt Sea, to clean the sea for twenty-one days. Before leaving, she warned the brothers to stay happily in the palace and strictly avoid the southern grove, where a deadly serpent resided.
  • Curiosity led the brothers to the southern grove, where they found a gallows and a man hanging, who revealed the deity's cruel nature: she enjoyed pleasures with her male companions until bored, then brutally killed them and sought new victims.
  • The man on the gallows advised them to worship a Yakṣa named Śailaka for salvation.
  • Following the advice, the brothers worshipped Śailaka, who promised to help them escape. Śailaka transformed himself first into a staff and then into a horse.
  • As they escaped, the deity discovered their plan and pursued them. She tried to divide them by telling Jinaraks'ita that Jinapalita never loved her and that she always loved Jinaraks'ita.
  • Jinaraks'ita, swayed by her words and memories of past pleasures, looked back, losing faith in Śailaka. The Yakṣa, sensing this, threw Jinaraks'ita down. The deity captured him, cut him into pieces, and scattered them as offerings. Jinaraks'ita met a miserable end.
  • Jinapalita, however, remained steadfast and was not swayed. He reached home safely, narrated his brother's tragic fate, and eventually became a monk, attaining perfection.
• The Moral: The story emphasizes the importance of detachment from worldly pleasures. Those who desire pleasures fall into the sea of worldly existence, while those who are averse to them cross it. The text provides several verses to illustrate this, comparing the ship and the sea to the worldly existence and salvation, and the Yakṣa Śailaka to the spiritual guide who helps one escape worldly sorrows.

Chapter XVI: The Stories of Nāgas'rī, Sukumārikā, and Draupadī

This chapter narrates the story of Draupadi across three lifetimes, illustrating the consequences of actions (karma).

• Nāgas'rī (First Birth):

  • Nāgas'rī, one of three Brahmin brothers' wives, lived in Champā. She prepared a delicious gourd dish, but found it had turned bitter and poisonous.
  • Fearing humiliation from her sisters-in-law, she hid it and prepared a new sweet dish.
  • A monk, Dharmaruci, visiting her house, was given the poisonous gourd preparation. Upon tasting it, Dharmaghoşa, his preceptor, recognized its poisonous nature and warned Dharmaruci.
  • Dharmaruci, to avoid harming others, consumed the poison himself and died. Nāgas'rī's act of offering the poisonous food led to the monk's death.
  • When the news spread, Nāgas'rī was ostracized, begged for a living, fell ill, and died a miserable death, experiencing rebirths in hell and as lower beings due to her karma.

• Sukumārikā (Second Human Birth):

  • In her next birth, Nāgas'rī was reborn as Sukumārikā, the delicate daughter of a merchant Sāgaradatta in Champā.
  • She grew up to be exceptionally beautiful. A merchant Jinadatta desired her for his son Sāgara.
  • The marriage took place, but Sāgara found Sukumārikā's touch unbearably burning and repulsive. This was a consequence of her past karma (poisoning Dharmaruci).
  • Unable to bear it, Sāgara fled on their wedding night. He refused to return to her home, despite his father's efforts.
  • Sukumārikā was advised to become a laywoman and observe religious duties, which she did, later becoming a nun.
  • However, she retained desires for worldly pleasures. Seeing a courtesan with five men, she resolved to enjoy similar pleasures in her next birth if her austerities bore any fruit.
  • Due to this sinful resolve, she was reborn as a celestial courtesan in heaven.

• Draupadī (Third Birth):

  • In her next human birth, Sukumārikā was reborn as Draupadī, daughter of King Drupada in Kāmpilyapura.
  • She was betrothed through a Swayamvara (self-choice of husband). Driven by her past resolve, she chose the five Pandavas as her husbands.
  • The story recounts her marriage to the Pandavas, her interactions with Nārada (who, offended by her lack of respect, caused her kidnapping by King Padmanābha), her rescue by Krşņa, and her subsequent journey with the Pandavas and Krşņa.
  • The Jain narrative includes unique incidents like Krşņa's transformation and his severe punishment of the Pandavas for offending him, which are not present in the Mahabharata.
  • Later, the Pandavas, Draupadī, and their son Pandusena renounce the world and become monks.
  • Draupadi, as a nun, eventually attains salvation. The Pandavas also attain salvation after observing severe austerities.
  • The commentary suggests that severe austerities can be vitiated by nidāna (sinful resolutions for worldly gain) and that offering inappropriate things with devotion can also lead to negative consequences.

Key Themes and Notes:

• Karma: The central theme is the law of karma and its manifestation across multiple lifetimes. Actions in past lives directly influence present and future circumstances.
• Detachment: The importance of renouncing worldly pleasures and desires is repeatedly emphasized.
• Jain Asceticism: The text describes various forms of ascetic practices, fasts, and renunciation, highlighting their role in spiritual progress and eventual liberation (Moksha).
• The Role of Guides: The importance of spiritual guides (like Śailaka Yakṣa, Dharmaghoṣa, Munisuvrata, Aristanemi, and Krşņa) in helping individuals overcome obstacles and attain salvation is evident.
• Narrative Style: The stories are didactic, aiming to teach moral lessons through engaging narratives, often with elements of divine intervention, supernatural powers, and intricate plots. The language, while in prose, is descriptive and rich.
• Comparison with Mahabharata: The introduction and notes explicitly mention how the Jain version of the Draupadi story differs from the Hindu epic, adding unique Jain interpretations and events.
• The Title: "Nāyādhammakahāo" signifies "Illustrative Stories of Right Conduct," indicating that the narratives are meant to guide readers towards proper Jain behavior and spiritual understanding.

This summary covers the main narratives and thematic elements present in the provided chapters of the NAYADHAMMAKAHÃO.