Vikram Charitra

Here's a comprehensive summary of the Jain text "Vikram Charitra" by Devendra Muni Shastri, based on the provided pages:

Book Title: Vikram Charitra (The Tale of Vikram) Author: Devendra Muni Shastri Publisher: Lakshmi Pustak Bhandar Translated from Hindi by: Shree Chandrakant Amin

Summary:

The story "Vikram Charitra" narrates the events surrounding the marriage of Prince Vikram, son of King Vikramaditya and Queen Sukmala of Avanti.

The tale begins with Queen Sukmala blessing her son, Prince Vikram, urging him to live up to his name and have an excellent character. King Vikramaditya expresses his desire for Vikram to marry soon, feeling that the prince's noble qualities and bravery have already brought honor to the kingdom. However, they face a challenge: finding a princess who is a fitting match for Vikram in terms of beauty and virtue. Despite sending ministers in all directions, no suitable bride has been found.

Queen Sukmala draws a parallel to her own marriage, where her father initially thought she was unmatched, but destiny brought her to King Vikramaditya. She believes a suitable princess for Vikram will also be found in due time. The King, while acknowledging the role of destiny, emphasizes the need for effort. He decides to personally embark on the search for a princess.

The King's chief minister, Bhattamatra, volunteers to undertake this mission. Armed with a large army, Bhattamatra travels to various countries. In Saurashtra, he encounters a Brahmin priest who, upon witnessing the impressive army, becomes curious. The Brahmin learns that Bhattamatra is searching for a princess for Prince Vikram. He then suggests that he knows a princess named Shubhmati, the daughter of King Mahabal of Vallabhpur in Saurashtra, who is exceptionally beautiful, virtuous, knowledgeable, and devoted to dharma. The Brahmin notes that Shubhmati's father is also seeking a suitable groom for her.

Bhattamatra, pleased with this information, travels to Vallabhpur. He meets King Mahabal and proposes the marriage between Prince Vikram and Princess Shubhmati. King Mahabal happily agrees, as he had been searching for an ideal groom for his daughter. Bhattamatra is captivated by Shubhmati's beauty, finding her more radiant than celestial nymphs. He concludes that this union is divinely ordained and advises King Mahabal to fix the wedding date.

As astrologers are consulted to determine an auspicious date, a minister from King Mahabal's court returns from another mission. He announces that he has arranged the marriage of Princess Shubhmati with Dharmadhwaj, the son of King Gajvahan of Shripur, with the wedding scheduled for the tenth day. This news creates a dilemma for King Mahabal and Bhattamatra, as they are bound by the agreement with the Shripur kingdom. King Mahabal decides to proceed with the marriage to Dharmadhwaj, as it is already fixed, and asks Bhattamatra to search for another princess for Prince Vikram.

Meanwhile, Prince Vikram, upon hearing about Shubhmati's qualities, develops an affection for her. Despite his friends encouraging him to use force, Vikram believes in the power of destiny. He decides to take matters into his own hands, planning to meet Shubhmati through his intelligence and effort, viewing it as a test of his karma.

Vikram secretly travels to Vallabhpur on a swift horse named Manovega. While exploring the city, he encounters Lakshmi, the beautiful and intelligent daughter of a wealthy merchant named Shridatta. Lakshmi is smitten by Vikram's divine appearance. She invites him to her home. Vikram, wanting to achieve his goal, approaches Lakshmi respectfully, calling her "sister." This shocks Lakshmi, but her friends persuade her to accept him as a brother. Vikram then requests Lakshmi's help in meeting Princess Shubhmati.

Lakshmi informs Vikram that Shubhmati's wedding to Dharmadhwaj is just five days away and that it is impossible to arrange a meeting now. However, Vikram, distraught, threatens to commit suicide. Lakshmi, moved by his plea, promises to help and arranges a meeting between Vikram and Shubhmati the next day.

Lakshmi invites Shubhmati to her house, and during their private meeting, Shubhmati and Vikram meet. Both are overwhelmed by their attraction. Shubhmati expresses her strong desire to marry Vikram, threatening to immolate herself if it doesn't happen. Lakshmi finds herself in a difficult situation, torn between her dharma as Vikram's adopted sister and her loyalty to Shubhmati. She devises a plan: Shubhmati should escape the palace at night and meet Vikram at a pre-arranged spot, from where he will take her to his kingdom.

On the wedding day, Dharmadhwaj arrives with his procession. Shubhmati, dressed and adorned, is surrounded by her companions, unable to leave. Vikram, waiting with Manovega, decides to enter the palace invisibly. He encounters a farmer and asks him to hold his horse while he goes to observe the groom. Meanwhile, Shubhmati feigns a natural call to escape the palace and reaches the meeting point. The farmer, mistaking her for a woman seeking to elope with the horse's owner (whom he couldn't see clearly), takes her towards his village.

During the journey, the farmer, named Simha, reveals his intentions to marry Shubhmati, intending to discard his first wife. Shubhmati, using her intelligence, cleverly asks to see his fields before going to his home. Simha agrees and stops at his fields. Shubhmati, seeing an opportunity, proposes that they marry right there to avoid gossip. Simha readily agrees and leaves to fetch wedding materials and a priest, leaving Shubhmati with the horse.

En route, Simha argues with his first wife and banishes her. He then proceeds to fetch wedding arrangements. However, upon his return to the fields, he finds Shubhmati gone, having ridden away on Manovega. Dejected, Simha goes to his father-in-law's house to bring back his first wife, but she refuses.

Shubhmati, meanwhile, rides into a forest and rests under a tree. She overhears a conversation between two travelers. One traveler reveals himself to be Prince Vikram, who is despondent because Shubhmati was abducted from the palace, and he is now contemplating suicide. The other traveler advises him that destiny will bring them together if it's meant to be.

Shubhmati then hears a family of "Bhaarand" birds discussing recent events. The first bird recounts Shubhmati's disappearance from her wedding, the king's grief, and the family's decision to fast unto death at Girnar Mountain. The second bird speaks of Princess Rupshri of Vamansthali, who has gone blind and whose father is offering a reward to anyone who can restore her sight. The father bird then reveals the magical properties of their droppings, which, when mixed with certain plant juices, can cause transformation and restore sight.

The third bird narrates the story of Simha the farmer, who took Shubhmati to his fields, went to get wedding supplies, and returned to find her gone. He was then rejected by his first wife and is now heading to Girnar to end his life. The father bird comments on the folly of lustful men. The fourth bird recounts its encounter with Vikram, who is despairing over Shubhmati's disappearance.

Shubhmati, upon hearing this, collects the Bhaarand bird's droppings. She mixes them with the "Amrutvalli" juice and applies it to her eyes, transforming into a young man named Anandkumar. Her parents, King Mahabal and Queen Veermati, don't recognize her. Anandkumar (Shubhmati) then travels to Vamansthali.

In Vamansthali, Anandkumar learns about Princess Rupshri's blindness and the reward. He offers to cure her, but with three conditions: Rupshri will marry whomever he chooses, a peasant girl will marry whomever he designates and be granted eight villages as a dowry, and he will control a certain region around Girnar Mountain for a period. King Kumbh agrees to the latter two conditions and consults Rupshri, who accepts any marriage proposal from her father.

Anandkumar then uses the Bhaarand droppings mixed with "Gajendrakund" water to cure Rupshri's blindness. Delighted, King Kumbh agrees to fulfill Anandkumar's conditions. Anandkumar prioritizes fulfilling his third condition and goes to Girnar Mountain.

There, he encounters Dharmadhwaj, who has come to commit suicide after Shubhmati's disappearance. Anandkumar dissuades him, advising him to wait and promising to arrange another marriage for him. Anandkumar also consoles Simha the farmer, promising him a noble bride and eight villages. Finally, Vikram, who has also come to Girnar to end his life, is assured by Anandkumar that he will be reunited with Shubhmati.

Anandkumar then orchestrates a grand reunion. In King Kumbh's court, he arranges the marriage of Dharmadhwaj with Rupshri and Simha the farmer with a peasant girl, along with the promised dowry. Anandkumar then tells King Mahabal that if he agrees to Shubhmati's marriage with Vikramaditya, he will reveal Shubhmati. King Mahabal agrees.

Anandkumar then uses the Bhaarand droppings mixed with "Chandravalli" juice to revert to his true form as Shubhmati. She reunites with her overjoyed parents and Vikram. A grand wedding ceremony is then held for Vikramaditya and Shubhmati. Shubhmati narrates her entire ordeal, from her abduction to her transformation and eventual reunion.

King Kumbh, pleased with their story, grants them wealth, elephants, and horses. King Mahabal, with his daughter and son-in-law, returns to Vallabhpur and holds a celebratory wedding feast. Finally, Vikramaditya, along with Shubhmati, departs for Avanti with immense wealth and retinue.

The story concludes with Vikramaditya encountering a traveler on his way back to Avanti, who brings news of a tragic situation in his homeland. (The text indicates further continuation in a subsequent part titled "Bhagya Pariksha" or "Tests of Fate.")