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80
CHAPTER SEVEN
into the womb of Queen Padmāvati on the full moon of Śrāvana, the moon being in Śravaņa. Then the queen, comfortably asleep, saw the fourteen great dreams, which indicate the birth of a Tirthakrt, during the last part of the night.
On the eighth day of the dark half of Jyeștha, the constellation being Sravaņa, at the proper time she bore a son, black as a tamāla,64 marked with a tortoise. After the birth-rites had been performed with devotion by the Dikkumārīs, the twentieth Arhat was taken to Meru by Biļaujas. The sixty-three Indras gave the birth-bath to the Teacher of the World seated on Sakra's lap with pure water from the sacred places. Sakra also gave the bath, made a pājā, et cetera to the Lord of the World seated on Išāna's lap and began a hymn of praise.
Stuti (131-138) “Lotus of the best pool of the present avasarpiņi, 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 Bharatavarşa, 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
64 127. See III, App. I. 6B
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