Page 2 - Jain Jyotirdhar Chitra Darshan

[2] SHALIBHADRA
(Detachment)

(1) After the death of Noble Shalibhadra’s father, he became
a heavenly deity and started sending 99 boxes of heavenly
food, clothes and ornaments daily to Shalibhadra. Despite
such affluence, when Shalibhadra heard once from his
mother that “King Shrenik is our master”; he developed the
sense of detachment and he decided to renounce the
world. Every day, he started leaving his wives one after the
other. (2) Shalibhadra’s sister Subhadra was the wife of
Dhannaji. While she was bathing her husband, out of love
for brother Shalibhadra, she started crying. Dhannaji asked
reason for crying, she told him about Shalibhadra’s
abandoning his wife one after the other. Dhannaji remarked
“What a coward!!” If he wants to renounce the world, then
why not leave all the wives at one go?” Subhadra replied,
“It’s easier too said than done. ”Dhannaji immediately left
the house and went to call Shalibhadra. (3) Dhannaji told
Shalibhadra “If you want to renounce then both of us
renounce the world today itself”. (4) Both went to God
Mahavir and be-came Monks and thereafter underwent
rigorous penance. (5) When Shalibhadra was going for
alms-Bhiksha, Lord Mahavir told him that today he would
receive Bhiksha from his mother. When he reached the
palace none could recognize him because of his frail body.
While returning empty handed, he happened to meet a
milkmaid who was his mother in his previous birth. Out of
motherly love, she offered him curd. (6) He fasted on Mount
Vaibhavgiri till death and left for heavenly abode
(Anuttarviman). Hearing this, his mother moaned and cried
for him. King Shrenik consoled and calmed her down and
saluted her for being a mother of a great monk. Bravo to
renouncing of all the riches by Shalibhadra!!!