Page 18 - Jain Jyotirdhar Chitra Darshan

[18] NAL DAMYANTI
(Monk Torture)

(1) Damyanti, in her previous birth, while hunting with her
husband got a Jain Monk caught by her servants and
tortured him. (2) After about 5 hours, she realized and
repented over her folly. She apologized to the Monk and
brought him home and served him. (3) She put tilak made
out of jewels on the foreheads of all the idols and therefore in
her next birth as Damyanti, she was born with a natural glow
on her forehead. (4) After life in heaven in their next birth
they born as shepherds. They held an umbrella over a Monk
when it was raining. (5) Later they offered milk to the Monk.
(6) Both renounced the world and embraced monkshood.
While Damyanti was sleeping her husband Nal, left her in
the jungle and went away. (7) Damyanti worshipped God
Shantinath everyday with fast in a cave. (8) Nal’s father who
had became a deity disguised himself as a snake and bit
Nal, which changed his appearance. He gave him some
clothes, a coconut and an ornamental box so as to help him
return to his original self. (9) Nal went to Damyanti’s
Swayamvar (competition for wedding) along with
Dadhiparna. (10) He cooked food using solar energy, due to
which Damyanti recognized him. (11) Nal changed back to
his original self. Bhimrath retuned the kingdom to Nal. In
gamble, Nal even won back his own kingdom from Kuber.
Nal and Damyanti renounced the world and left for heavens.