Trishashti Shalaka Purusha Caritra
by Helen M. Johnson | 1931 | 742,503 words
This page describes Balacandra which is the thirty-first part of chapter II of the English translation of the Neminatha-caritra, contained within the 鈥淭rishashti Shalaka Purusha Caritra鈥�: a massive Jain narrative relgious text composed by Hemacandra in the 12th century. Neminatha in jainism is the twenty-second Tirthankara (Jina) and one of the 63 illustrious beings or worthy persons.
Go directly to: Footnotes.
Part 31: B膩lacandr膩
One day he saw a maiden held by a noose in the river. Told (to do so) by Vegavat墨 and compassionate himself, 艢auri freed the maiden from the noose. She was in a faint and 艢auri restored her by sprinkling water. Then she circumambulated Vasudeva and said: 鈥淭oday magic arts of mine have been subdued by your power. Moreover, hear:
There is a city Gaganavallabha on Mt. 痴补颈迟腻岣峢测补. Vidyudda峁冡梗峁璻a of Nami鈥檚 line was king there. One day he saw a muni standing in statuesque posture in West Videha. 鈥楲ook! This is some portent of calamity.鈥� Vidyudda峁冡梗峁璻a took him to Mt. 痴补谤耻峁嘺 and had him beaten by Khecaras, saying, 鈥楰ill him.鈥�
The muni being engaged in pure meditation, his omniscience arose; and the Indra 顿丑补谤补峁嘺 came for the omniscience-festival. When he saw them (the 痴颈诲测腻诲丑补谤补蝉) hostile to the sage, 顿丑补谤补峁嘺 quickly destroyed their magic arts from anger. They, miserable, said: 鈥榃e do not know v/ho he is. We were ordered to do this act against the muni by Vidyudda峁冡梗峁璻a only, who incited us, saying, 鈥淗e is a portent of calamity.鈥濃�� Indra 顿丑补谤补峁嘺 said: 鈥業 have come on account of his omniscience-festival. O villains, what shall I do to you, ignorant as you are! Because of your grief, the magic arts will submit again to you, (if you are) devout laymen. They will destroy instantly the hostility to 蝉腻诲丑耻蝉 and to those who have taken refuge with them. The great magic arts, 搁辞丑颈峁嚹� and others,[1] will not submit to any man or woman in the line of Vidyudda峁冡梗峁璻a, evil-minded. But they will submit at the sight of a 蝉腻诲丑耻 or a great man.鈥�
After saying this, the Indra 顿丑补谤补峁嘺 went to his own house.
In former times a maiden in his line, Ketumat墨, who was subduing magic arts here, was married by 痴颈峁ａ箛耻 笔耻峁囜笉补谤墨办补.[2] I, a maiden of his line, named B膩lacandr膩, have the magic arts subdued by your power. Marry me submissive (to you), moonfaced one.鈥�
Asked by her, 鈥淲hat shall I give you in return for the submission of the magic arts?鈥� V峁涐梗峁噄鈥檚 son said, 鈥淕ive a magic art to Vegavat墨.鈥� She took Vegavat墨 and went to Gaganavallabha and Vasudeva went to the same hermitage.[3]
Footnotes and references:
[1]:
See I, n. 218; Abhi. 2. 153-4; III, p. 41.
[2]:
This is not mentioned in 笔耻峁囜笉补谤墨办补鈥檚 biography, Tri峁峁ａ弓i0 6 3. In the Vasudevahi峁囜笉i, p. 265, she is said to be the wife of V膩sudeva Puru峁ttama. She is not mentioned in his biography, Tri峁峁ａ弓i0 5.4, either.
[3]:
Where he had been staying with Vegavat墨.