King Nami was able to recall his previous birth because he had sublimated his mohaniya karmas. Mrigaputra due to purification of aura saw his past sramanic life. He saw him unblinkingly and thought in his mind: kahim mannerisam ruvam ditthapuvvam maye pura... I have seen this form earlier somewhere. As this thought settled deep within him, his mind began to focus and he was completely engrossed in this process. It was in this state that he was able to recall the incidents of his previous birth. Before remembering the previous birth, he began to feel the discipline of sramanic life and all that he had experienced then.
This is the episode of his previous birth. King Manirath was ruling over Sudarshan Nagar in Malwa province. Mani Rekha was the wife of his younger brother Yugbahu. Manirath conspired to kill Yugbahu. Mani Rekha was pregnant at that time. She gave birth to a boy in the jungle. That child was spotted by Padmarath, the king of Mithila and he took the child with him. The king named him Nami. After Padmarath renounced his kingdom and took to monastic order, Nami became the king. Once he suffered from high fever. In order to quell the fever the queens of the palace were trying to make sandal paste. While doing so their bangles were making a lot of noise. The sound disturbed Nami and he expressed his displeasure. Then the queens just had only one bangle in each hand and thus the sound could be heard no more. Nami asked why they had kept one bangle on and they told him it was a symbol of marriage. That caused Nami to think.
Nami ekaki bhalo do milya dukha hoy... this thought opened the door to memories of past lives. Jay suritu bhyam sahasam buddha annuttar dhamme.... He renounced, leaving the kingdom to his sons.