Trishashti Shalaka Purusha Caritra
by Helen M. Johnson | 1931 | 742,503 words
This page describes Munisuvrata鈥檚 birth which is the fifth part of chapter VII of the English translation of the Shri Munisuvratanatha-caritra, contained within the 鈥淭rishashti Shalaka Purusha Caritra鈥�: a massive Jain narrative relgious text composed by Hemacandra in the 12th century. Shri Munisuvratanatha in jainism is one of the 63 illustrious beings or worthy persons.
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Part 5: Munisuvrata鈥檚 birth
Now the god Sura艣re峁ａ弓ha, immersed in an ocean of bliss, completed his life in 笔谤腻峁嘺迟补. He fell and descended into the womb of Queen 笔补诲尘腻惫补迟墨 on the full moon of 艢r膩va峁嘺, the moon being in 艢rava峁嘺. Then the queen, comfortably asleep, saw the fourteen great dreams, which indicate the birth of a T墨rthak峁泃, during the last part of the night.
On the eighth day of the dark half of Jye峁ａ弓ha, the constellation being 艢rava峁嘺, at the proper time she bore a son, black as a 迟补尘腻濒补,[1] marked with a tortoise. After the birth-rites had been performed with devotion by the 顿颈办办耻尘腻谤墨蝉, the twentieth Arhat was taken to Meru by Bi岣峚ujas. The sixty-three Indras gave the birth-bath to the Teacher of the World seated on 艢akra鈥檚 lap with pure water from the sacred places. 艢akra also gave the bath, made a 辫奴箩腻, et cetera to the Lord of the World seated on 莫艣膩na鈥檚 lap and began a hymn of praise.
Stuti:
鈥淟otus of the best pool of the present 补惫补蝉补谤辫颈峁嚹�, by good fortune you have been found by us, like bees, after a long time. Today the best fruit of voice, mind, and body has come to me from praise, meditation, worship, et cetera of you, O god. Just as my devotion to you becomes strong, Lord, so former karma becomes light. This birth would be purposeless for us lacking in self-control, if the sight of you did not take place, Master. This is dependent on merit. Our senses have accomplished their purpose by touching you, by praising you, by smelling the flowers left from sacrifices to you, by the sight of you, by hearing your virtues sung. This peak of Meru shines with you, the color of sapphire, giving delight to the eyes like a rainy season cloud. You omnipresent, though being in Bhar谩tavar峁, appear to us wherever we are since you are recalled to destroy pain. At the time of falling from heaven, may the memory of your feet be present to me so that it may exist in a future birth from the purifying ceremony of the former birth.鈥�
After he had praised the twentieth Arhat in these terms, Vajrabh峁泃 took him, and put him down by Queen 笔补诲尘腻惫补迟墨鈥檚 side according to custom.
Footnotes and references:
[1]:
See III, App. I.