An Ahimsa Crisis: You Decide: Nemi & Rajul Still Inspire Many

I don’t know of any Jain who is not familiar with the 22nd Tirthankar Nemi Nath and his bride Rajul. As the story goes, the marriage procession of Neminath is proceeding with all royal pomp and show towards the palace of Rujul.

Rajul too is watching the movement of the wedding party from the windows of her apartments. Both Neminath and Rajul are excited. Suddenly, Neminath notices lots of animals in cages by the side of the road where his marriage procession was passing. He asks his aides why these animals are there, and what purpose they serve. The aides reply that they are for the dinner of all the marriage participants. Hearing this, Neminath-ji is shocked and starts feeling the pain and suffering and finally, feels compassion for their lives. He could not bear it. How can he get married when so many of these poor and helpless creatures will become part of the dinner soon?

Right there and then, with the feeling of their pain, Neminath- ji stops the marriage procession, removes all his clothing, renounces the world, and becomes a Jain monk. Seeing this and realizing that Neminath-ji has become a monk, Rajul decides to do the same and becomes a Jain nun.

This is not only compassion but compassion with personal sacrifice. Gary Francione told me that he always keeps a pratima (idol) of Neminath-ji on his office desk in front of him to constantly remind him that sometimes practice of ahimsa demands personal sacrifices, too.