Stambhana Parshwanath Dwantrishad Prabandhoddhara - Book Summary

Here's a comprehensive summary of the provided Jain text, "Stambhana Parshwanath Dwantrishad Prabandhoddhara" by Shilchandrasuri:

This document is an "Uddhara" (summary/extract) of the "Stambhanadheesh Prabandhah" by Merutunga Suri, belonging to the Nagendragachchha tradition. The introduction states that this is the only available reading of Merutunga Suri's work. Two versions of the "Uddhara" exist, believed to be compiled by an unknown scholar later.

Details about the Uddhara:

First Version: 6 folios, described as quite pure and likely written at the end of the 15th or beginning of the 16th century. The name of the repository from which this Xerox copy was taken is not mentioned, but it's estimated to be from the Bhandars of Chhani or Vadodara.
Second Version: 8 folios, considered impure and a copy of the first version. It originates from the Gyanbhandar of Limbdi.

Significance of the Uddhara:

The compilers hope that comparing the original Prabandhas with this summary will offer new insights to history enthusiasts. Importantly, where the original Prabandhas have missing or incomplete sections (like the beginnings of Prabandhas 5 and 18, and the ends of Prabandhas 8 and 13), this summary provides them, albeit in a concise form. The availability of both versions together is expected to facilitate comparative and linguistic studies.

The Prabandhas (Summarized Narratives):

The core of the document presents 32 Prabandhas, each a story illustrating the power and virtues associated with Lord Parshvanatha and his devotees, often involving divine intervention or the resolution of crises through faith and devotion. Here's a summary of the key themes and characters from the initial Prabandhas:

Lord Parshvanatha's Image: An image of Lord Parshvanatha was created by Indra and presented to King Bharat Chakravartin. Thirty-two Prabandhas were spoken before Sauramendra, and collected by Merutunga Suri. (This section seems to be a preamble).
Bharat Chakravartin: Suffered from stomach pain due to improper diet. Indra, pleased with his devotion, cured him by bathing him in sacred water from the Himadri Padmahṛda Sahasrapatma Hṛdaya. The cause of his illness was revealed to be past-life karma from denying food to monks.
Bhagirath: Worried about the consequences of the Ganga river flowing through the land after being brought by Sagar's sons, he was advised by a divine voice to seek a divine image at a specific temple. This image, when installed, would pacify the divine forces.
Mandhatri and Madandev: In Kundinpur, King Mandhatri's son Madandev was born. Due to past-life enmity, a vengeful spirit (Vyantar) began burning the city. The king received advice from a Kevalin (omniscient being) to take a vow of contentment with his wife and to worship a specific Jinabimba in a sandalwood forest. This act pacified the spirit.
Jaratkaru and Astika: The precursor to Lord Parshvanatha, King Vairasena's daughter Jaritkari, was bitten by a serpent during pregnancy. She was cured, and it was revealed that her son would be a protector of the Naga lineage. Her son, Astika, grew up to be knowledgeable and later intervened to stop Janamejaya's serpent sacrifice, saving the Naga lineage and the Serpent King Takshaka, and receiving a boon of protection for those who remember his words.
King Dhundhumara: His daughter Kuntala entered a pond to bathe and her ornaments were stolen by a malevolent spirit. After her father's efforts to find them failed, she performed 21 days of fasting. A celestial being revealed that her uncle, Manichuda, who worshipped a specific Jinabimba, could help. Her uncle brought the Jinabimba, and through the intervention of its presiding deity, the spirit was caught and pacified.
King Pushpashekhar: Lost his kingdom due to negligence. While wandering in the forest, he discovered a hidden cave containing a Jinabimba. After three days of fasting, he received an unfading Parijata flower from the gods, with a warning that it would fall if thrown at someone who didn't bow. Riding a divine horse, he reclaimed his kingdom and ruled with righteousness.
King Trishanku: Wandering at night in Varanasi, he overheard two skulls discussing his impending death due to malevolent spirits. One skull revealed a way to survive: finding a specific Jinabimba at a particular location, bringing it to the city, and worshipping it, which would drive away the spirits. He followed the advice, and the malevolent spirits were defeated.
King Padmanabha: His son, playing in the forest, was caught by an elephant. Recalling the words of his guru, he climbed a Kunjara tree and prayed. Three "Hum" sounds emerged, causing the elephants to weaken. A divine being appeared and granted him a boon. He established a city and worshipped the Jinabimba, later going to heaven.
Janavallabha: A householder in Kosala, he became a devotee after encountering a Jain monk. When the king died childless, he was appointed king. Faced with invasion, he was advised to take refuge in Sahajasiddheshvara Jinabimba. This image appeared, the enemies were defeated, and he became King Martanda.
King Veerasena: In Vitabhaya town, a poor householder named Srinivasa worshipped a Jinabimba with great devotion, offering his own ghee for lamps. Pleased gods blessed him with riches. He was brought to his city, given the kingdom by the king, and later became a monk.
King Naraka: In Rajagriha, he was afflicted with incurable diseases. He overheard aquatic beings discussing a hidden jewel that would grant him the power of flight. He found the jewel, which allowed him to travel to a sacred place, bring back a Jinabimba, and cure himself and his city.
King Bhimasena: On a pilgrimage to Shatrunjaya, he feared encountering obstacles. He was advised to worship the Kshemakara Jinabimba, located on Manushyottara Parvata and worshipped by a celestial being. Through devotion and divine intervention, he completed his pilgrimage and later became a monk.
King Chandrashekhar: His ancestors were killed by a malevolent spirit. While wandering in the forest, he encountered a sage who directed him to a Jinabimba hidden within an Udumbara tree. Upon worshipping the image, the spirit was pacified, and he renounced his worldly life to become a monk.
King Naravarman: In Tilanga, he became afflicted with paralysis. He overheard a conversation between a snake and a frog, which revealed that worshipping a specific Jinabimba near the Ganga river would cure him. He found the image, worshipped it, and was cured, ruling his kingdom and later going to heaven.
King Narayana: In Gaudadesha, he was given the art of spirit attraction by an atheist. While practicing in a graveyard, he was overwhelmed by the vision of the deity. Wandering in Ujjain, he met a sage who advised him to worship the Niranjana Jinabimba. This led to divine blessings, the acquisition of divine weapons, and eventual ascension to heaven.
King Brahmabandhu: In Panchala, a devout king who followed a strict vow. When the city faced drought, the city goddess forbade rain. The people, misinterpreting this, killed a sage. However, the same city goddess, repenting, brought rain that flooded the city. The king's queen was saved by her strong vows and the influence of the Jinabimba.
King Harishchandra: Advised in a dream to befriend the first person he met outside the city walls. He found a thirsty man, helped him, and discovered he was King Pradyumna of Virata. Later, Pradyumna invited Harishchandra to worship the Sarvarthasiddhi Jinabimba on Gandhamadana Mountain. Harishchandra worshipped it for six months, gaining great merit and the boon of right faith.
King Jimutavahana: In Harivarsha, he discovered a treasure. He encountered a Charana Rishi who guided him to a self-manifested deity in the earth. Later, his minister's son fell ill, and the deity cured him. The Rishi explained that the son's illness was due to past-life karma (killing an insect playfully). The king then took vows of non-violence and compassion.
King Krishnamahindra: In Beejpur, a king who had previously been a cow, and his minister, a hundred-lived being, were enemies. The king, through deceit, had the minister killed. The minister's soul became a spirit, terrorizing the city. A sage revealed the cause was past-life actions. The king and the spirit were both enlightened.
King Ajaypal: In Malava, a Kshatriya, was a great sinner. Wandering in the forest, he encountered two deer who played like women, a desire he had. He also experienced perilous encounters with animals and faced a lion. Advised by a sage, he found a Jinabimba which granted him the kingdom and was ultimately crowned "Narasardula" by the gods.
King Megharatha: In Kashmir, a man named Megharatha was unlucky, unable to marry despite many attempts. He was about to commit suicide when a deity intervened, directing him to worship the Prabhavasagara Jinabimba. He gained the power of entering another's body, married a princess after entering the body of a deceased king, and returned to his kingdom.
King Sumitra: In Saurashtra, his son Ghosh was a great sinner. Cured by swans, he went to Nilagiri to worship a deity. He gained a boon to obtain a kingdom and became known as Hansasena as he ruled, riding a swan daily to worship the deity.
King Meghnadan: In Jalandhara, he gained two supernatural abilities from a thief. He found a female corpse in a river, revived it, married it, and later his father-in-law was also defeated in battle. Later, wandering in a forest, he worshipped the Kripa Bhandara Jinabimba and gained the ability to fly in a Vimana.
King Haridatta: In Himarur, he heard a girl crying in the forest and learned she was a princess abducted by an enemy king. He defeated the abductor, married her, and later, due to a drought and fire, he worshipped the Parmeshvara Jinabimba, and its sacred water cured the land.
King Jitshatru: His chief minister, Kartik, and his friend Gangadatta, became renounced. Gangadatta took initiation. Kartik, despite being advised by Gangadatta, was reluctant due to his worldly attachments. Later, a monk named Gerika visited, and Kartik, realizing the transient nature of life, took initiation with 1008 merchants. He became a great scholar and later Indra.
Shri Rama: While in Danda Karanya, Sita worshipped a Jinabimba for seven months and nine days. Later, due to a lack of offerings, she worried about causing transgression to the deity. Lord Rama sent divine assistance for the worship.
Shri Krishna: Fearing Jarashandha, the Yadavas moved to Dwarika. Krishna was advised to worship a specific Jinabimba for three days to obtain its sacred water, which would cure the afflicted. This image, Tribhuvanatilaka, was worshipped in Dwarika for 700 years, and became a great pilgrimage site.
Varuna and others: After Dwarika was destroyed, the Jinabimba remained unharmed. Varuna, the lord of the west, took it to his place and worshipped it. Similarly, Takshaka, Padmavati, and the lord of the salt ocean also worshipped it.
Kamatha and Parshvakumar: When Kamatha troubled Parshvakumar, Dharanendra appeared and worshipped a Jinabimba named Parshvanatha. When Kamatha again attempted to cause trouble, Dharanendra intervened, and Kamatha was enlightened.
Dhaneshar Sheth: On a sea voyage, his boats were destroyed. He heard a divine voice directing him to bring a Jinabimba from a specific place to Kanti. He found the image, and the winds helped him reach Kanti. He built a temple for it.
Ajaypal (continued from Prabandha 21 context): In Malava, the son of Ajaypal, referred to as Narasardula, a fierce warrior, was brought up by yogis. Tested by his guru, he showed great spiritual inclination. He also showed immense compassion by offering his eyes to a prostitute for a piece of spinach. His guru, saddened by his blindness, cast him out, but he later gained divine eyes and learned potent yogic practices. He eventually became a king, worshipping a Jinabimba and attaining heaven.

The text concludes with verses summarizing the merits of worshipping Lord Stambhaneshvara and reiterating the narratives of some of the Prabandhas, highlighting the significance of Lord Parshvanatha in resolving worldly problems and bestowing spiritual benefits.