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Trishashti Shalaka Purusha Caritra

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

This page describes Fight with Acchadanta which is the third part of chapter XI of the English translation of the Neminatha-caritra, contained within the “Trishashti Shalaka Purusha Caritraâ€�: 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.

And now, as °­áš›ášŁáš‡a was going along, when he had reached the city Hastikalpa[1] on the road, he told Haladhārin that he was suffering from hunger. Balabhadra said to him: “I shall go to this city for food for you. You stay here on your guard, brother. If anything unfavourable happens to me for any reason, I shall give a lion’s-roar. Hearing that, you should hurry.â€�

With these words ¸éÄĺłž˛š entered the city and, possessing a god-like form, was seen by the townspeople with wonder, “Who is he?â€� “Dvārakā has been burned and SÄŤrin here, having left it, has come,â€� this rumor spread among the people, on reflection. By means of a ring ¸éÄĺłž˛š himself took many kinds of food from a confectioner and wine from a liquor-dealer by means of a bracelet.

When Bala went near the city-gate, after taking (the food and wine), the guards saw him and, astonished, went to the king. The king in this city was Acchadanta, son of Dhṛtarāᚣᚭra, who had survived those killed by the Pāṇḍavas, partisans of °­áš›ášŁáš‡a, in the past. The guards said: “Like a robber he takes food and wine in your city by giving a valuable ring and bracelet. Now, equal to Sirin in form, he is going outside. Whether he is a robber or whether he is Bala, henceforth there is no fault on our part.â€�

Acchadanta went there with an army to kill Bala and had the gate’s double-doors barred. Bala put down the food and drink, pulled up an elephant-post, gave a lion’s roar, and began to kill the enemy-army. Hearing the lion’s-roar, °­áš›ášŁáš‡a ran up, broke the double-doors with a kick, and entered the city, like the submarine fire the ocean. Taking the iron-bound club, °­áš›ášŁáš‡a killed the enemy-soldiers; and said to King Acchadanta who was submissive: “Our strength of arm has not gone any place! Villain, what have you done? Humble, enjoy your kingdom. You are freed from this crime.â€�

Footnotes and references:

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[1]:

Identified as Hāthab near Bhavnagar by Lai.

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