Revati

Summary

Ganesh Lalwani’s short story "Revati" explores the tensions between worldly attachment and spiritual renunciation through the eyes of its protagonist. Revati, the wife of the wealthy householder Gathapati Mahasataka, watches wistfully as her husband lives inside the Pausadhasala, a cell for ascetics, having taken initiation from Mahavira more than twelve years earlier. Though Mahasataka has freed himself from worldly pleasures, Revati has not relinquished her desire for marital companionship; she yearns for his nearness and the warmth of his heart. Her restless gaze and internal monologue reveal a deep conflict: she understands the virtue of her husband’s renunciation yet feels abandoned. The narrative contrasts Revati’s longing with Mahasataka’s serene detachment. Inside the Pausadhasala, Mahasataka practices self‑control and contemplates the transitory nature of sensual pleasures. Revati’s attempts to approach him—whether through entreaties, messages or even disguising herself to enter the ascetics’ quarters—highlight the pull of familial bonds. Lalwani uses rich imagery to depict Revati’s emotional turmoil; her heart is likened to a desert thirsting for love, and the kovidara tree under which she stands symbolises both shelter and separation. As the story unfolds, Revati gradually recognises the futility of clinging to desires. Conversations with elder women and glimpses of Mahasataka’s calm reinforce the Jain teaching that attachment is the root of suffering. Revati ultimately chooses to emulate her husband’s path, accepting that true freedom comes from shedding worldly ties. Lalwani concludes with Revati resolving to enter the monastic order herself, suggesting that the transformation of the individual is both painful and liberating. The story thus functions as a didactic tale illustrating core Jain values—renunciation, equanimity and the equality of spiritual potential in men and women.