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Trishashti Shalaka Purusha Caritra

by Helen M. Johnson | 1931 | 742,503 words

This page describes Death of Lakshmana which is the seventh part of chapter X of the English translation of the Jain Ramayana, contained within the “Trishashti Shalaka Purusha Caritra�: a massive Jain narrative relgious text composed by Hemacandra in the 12th century. This Jain Ramayana contains the biographies of Rama, Lakshmana, Ravana, Naminatha, Harishena-cakravartin and Jaya-cakravartin: all included in the list of 63 illustrious beings or worthy persons.

Knowing that Hanūmat had become a mendicant Raghūdvaha thought: “Why did he abandonn the comfort of wealth and take this wretched initiation?� The Indra of Saudharma knew by clairvoyance this thought of ’s and said in his council: “Indeed, the course of karma is uneven. 峾, who has his final body, laughs at dharma himself and, on the other hand, praises comfort which consists of sense-objects. Or rather, it is well known that there is a very deep mutual affection between 峾 and ṣmṇa, the cause of attachment to existence.� From curiosity two gods there went to ṣmṇa’s house in ǻ to test their affection. By using sorcery they suddenly showed ṣmṇa all the women of the household weeping pathetically. “Oh, Padma, lotus-eyed, sun to the lotuses of relatives, what is this sudden death of yours terrifying to the universe?� Seeing the women of the household lamenting in this way, beating their breasts, their hair disheveled, ṣmṇa, sorrowful, said: “Is he, my brother, the life of very life, dead? Has this been done by malignant Kṛtānta by using trickery?� As he was saying this, Saumitri’s life departed with the speech. The ripening of karma is hard to overcome. He remained seated on his lion-throne, leaning against a golden pillar, his eyes protruding, motionless, like an image to be anointed. Seeing ṣmṇa lifeless, the two gods, sorrowful, said to each other, “Alas! what have we done? Why did we kill this man, the support of the universe, alas!� Blaming themselves Very much, they went back to their own heaven.

Seeing ṣmṇa lifeless, the women of the household and their attendants wept, their hair disheveled. Hearing their lamentation, 峾 went there and, ignorant of the calamity, said: “What has happened? While I am alive, my younger brother lives. Some disease affects him. Medicine is the remedy for that.� Saying this, 峾 summoned physicians and astrologers and had repeated use made of charms and spells. At the uselessness of charms and spells Raghūdvaha swooned. Having regained consciousness finally, he lamented in a loud voice. īṣaṇa, ܲī, Śatrughna and the others, shedding tears, cried at the top of their voices, “We are killed.� Kauśalyā and the other mothers and their daughters-in-law, weeping, swooned again and again, crying pathetically. Then from the wailing at every street, every house, every market, pure grief resulted, the thief of all other sentiments.

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