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The life story of Sadhvi Durgandharani serves as a poignant illustration of the fleeting nature of worldly pleasures and the transformative power of a life devoted to penance. The tale begins with King Shrenik and his minister Abhaykumar, who, while disguised at a fair, interact with a young girl. The girl unintentionally touches the king's hand, leading to the king's attraction to her beauty. He promises to make her his queen and gives her his ring as a token.
Using his astute intellect, Abhaykumar discerns the deeper implications of this encounter and arranges the wedding between the king and the girl, thereby fulfilling the king's desire. This incident aligns with a prediction made by Bhagwan Mahavir regarding King Shrenik's fate.
Bhagwan Mahavir's prediction comes to fruition when King Shrenik encounters a young girl named Durgandha in a pitiable state, emitting a foul odor due to her bad karma. At a holy assembly, King Shrenik expresses his curiosity about her past and present life. Bhagwan Mahavir reveals that Durgandha was formerly Dhanshri, the daughter of Dhanmitra of Shaligram. In her previous birth, Dhanshri had shown disgust for a monk's clothes, leading to karmic consequences. In her current birth as Durgandha, she became the daughter of a courtesan, marked by her foul odor and abandonment in the forest.
Bhagwan Mahavir predicts that Durgandha will become King Shrenik's chief queen and reenact a specific scenario from her past life. True to the prophecy, Durgandha defeats the king in a game of shatranj (chess) and rides on his back, while other queens look on. As time passes, Durgandha recognizes the karmic ties of her previous life and seeks liberation through initiation into monkhood under the guidance of Acharya Chandana.
Sadhvi Durgandharani's journey highlights the profound impact of even a single negative thought, capable of entangling a soul in complex karmic bonds. Through introspection and a resolute commitment to righteousness, Durgandha transcends her past and chooses the challenging path of spiritual growth. Her story underscores the importance of self-awareness, transformation, and the pursuit of spiritual enlightenment, even in the face of challenging circumstances.
