Anupamadevi

Anupama was Tejpal’s wife. Her complexion was dark and even her body was not that beautiful but she possessed extraordinary intelligence. She showed uncommon common-sense in solving complicated problems not only of the family but those of others as well.

Tejpal and Anupamadevi both were devoted to religion and as such, the ascetics were ever worshipped with great respect by them. Once Anupamadevi was giving alms to the Jain monks; meanwhile the vessel of alms slipped from the hands of one of the Yatis and Anupamadevi’ s clothes became fully soaked with ghee from that vessel. Tejpal, the minister, was standing nearby and as he saw this, he was just on the verge of losing his temper. He became enraged as he suspected that something ill-auspicious would happen as a result of spilling of ghee.

But Anupamadevi handled the situation very skillfully and said: “O ! What would have been my position, had I been born to a ghee-dealer? But I feel fortunate today since I have secured the most desired though rare ablution of ghee from the vessel of the guru.” As he listened to Anupamadevi, Tejpal’s temper cooled down.

Once Vastupal and Tejpal, the two brothers set out on a pilgrimage of Shatrunjaya Tirth and Girnar Tirth. The Minister’s family had left for the pilgrimage with whatever wealth they had. On their way both the brothers rested near the village Hadala; suddenly they thought that in the Sorath region in Saurashtra even the great and mighty were looted at the hands of the dacoits. Hence they decided to hide one third of their wealth somewhere in the forest. At the fall of the night as both the brothers were digging the earth so as to hide their wealth, they found to their surprise a vessel containing gold-coins. They had serious reflections as to while they had intended to hide the wealth under the ground, they were rewarded with more wealth.

They were also puzzled as to what to do with that immense wealth which was not earned by their own labour. They consulted Anupamadevi and she advised them that instead of hiding the wealth under the ground, it should be placed atop a peak. She added that therein would lie the true dignity of human beings and the wealth itself. By burring the wealth underground, the greedy person meets his hell; if the same wealth be used for the renovation of the pilgrim-places like Shatrunjaya and Girnar, one can attain heaven. She suggested that some wealth be spent for the Jain temples atop the mountain peaks. Vastupalliked Anupamadevi’s suggestion and Tejpal was very happy that she was such an unselfish woman.

At the great pilgrim-place of Shri Shatrunjaya, Nandishvar Jinprasad was constructed with the help of Vamdev Salat. A unique lake was also built at the holy place. In A. D. 1236, at the time of celebrating the great penance called Panchami, they arranged the construction of 25 holy assemblies and also managed to construct 32 vadis at the foot-hills of Shatrunjaya and 16 vadis at the foot-hills of Girnar. Jinalaya, a lake and poshala were also constructed. Atop Mt. Abu was erected a huge, attractive and beautiful edifice named ‘Lunigavasahi’ for Neminath Bhagwan. During the construction work, Anupamadevi looked after the sculptors with motherly love and feeling. With a view to keeping them healthy and fit she had hired men for massage. She paid adequate money to all of them. All her painstaking efforts made the Jain temples at Abu a unique creation – as unique as she was – Anupam.

Reference
1. Glory of Jainism by Kumarpal Desai