Dr. Kumarpal Desai
Sadhvi Pushpachula
Sadvi Pushpachula’s life-sketch is a unique example of devotion to guru (spiritual teacher). Queen Pushpavati, the wife of Pushpaketu, the king of Pruthvipur, gave birth to twins - a baby-girl and a baby-boy. The boy was named Pushpachul and the girl was named Pushpachula. There was great love between the brother and the sister so much so that they could not stay apart even for a second. As they grew up, the king started thinking about their marriage. But he was worried as to how his twin children would bear their separation which was inevitable in the event of their marriage. After considering all the facts the king decided to get them married to each other with great hesitation.
The King’s decision was based on his conviction that both of them were the best suitable partners for each other. This incident caused a great commotion and pain in the mind of the queen Pushpavati. Such a life, full of attachment and affection, created a desire for renunciation. She devoted herself to severe penance and attained goddesshood of the divine world.
In course of time, Pushpachul and Pushpachula became the king and the queen respectively of Pruthvipur. With her power of clairvoyance, their mother now as a goddess in the divine world, watched the heinous deeds of her daughter and the son. The goddess was greatly distressed and she so contrived the things that queen Pushpachula had the dreams of heaven and hell. There upon queen Pushpachula asked Acharya Arnikaputra about the meaning of those dreams. Unfolding the meaning of those dreams, Acharyashri said that the soul is friendly to a person who does good deeds, while it serves as an enemy to one who performs evil deeds. Soon queen Pushpachula felt immense repentance. The preaching of Acharya Arnikaputra dispelled and removed her ignorance and infatuation. She asked her husband’s permission for living an ascetic’s life. He granted the permission but he put the condition that after her initiation she would take alms only from his place.
With his power of scriptural knowledge, Acharya Arnikaputra could foresee a severe famine, so he sent his disciples to regions far away. But because of his extreme old age, he was compelled to stay in the same place. With unfailing faith, Sadhvi Pushpachula concentrated all her efforts on the care and service of her guru. Consequently, she acquired kevalajnana (absolute knowledge). Once she returned with alms from outside in heavy rain. Acharya Arnikputra questioned her about it and she justified her action of bringing food in the rains.
Thereupon the guru realized that Pushpachula had attained absolute knowledge. The guru therefore begged her apology for taking service from her though she was a kevali (the isolated one separated from karmas). Sadhvi Pushpachula thought that it was her great fortune that a saintly guru like him had shown a very noble gesture to her.
Sadhvi Pushpachula lived during the time of Bhagwan Mahavir. Her life-sketch illustrates the fact that noble actions yield good rewards and evil actions yield bitter fruits. Her evil karmas led her to a wrong path, whereas her mother led her to a righteous path. Moreover, it was because of her devoted service to the guru that she acquired pure and absolute knowledge. Besides, the quality of humility inhere in the Jain religion is also reflected in the apologetic behavior of Sadhu Aranikaputra. Such humility only makes one great and noble.
