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CHAPTER VI ŚRI MALLINĀTHACARITRA May Mallinātha's words, spotless as a wreath of jasmine, eagerly sipped by the bees of people capable of emancipation, prevail. Now we shall narrate Sri Malli Svāmin's life, wonderful, like a stream of nectar for the ears of the listeners.
Incarnation as Mahābala (3-21) In this same continent, Jambūdvipa, there is a city Vītaśoka in the province Salilāvati in the West Videhas. Bala was its king, like a large army in strength, an elephant for rooting up the forest of a hostile army, like a god in appearance. A son, named Mahābala, having complete power, indicated by the dream of a lion, was borne to the king by his wife Dhāriņi. . When he was grown, Mahābala married on one day five hundred princesses, Kamalaśrī and others. He had childhood-friends, Acala, Dharana, Pūraņa, Vasu, Vaiśravaņa, and Abhicandra. One day King Bala listened to religion in the presence of munis who had come to the garden Indrakubja in the northeast direction outside the city. He was permeated with disgust with existence, established Mahābala in the kingdom, became a mendicant, and attained emancipation.
A son, indicated by a dream of a lion, Balabhadra, was borne to Mahābala by the chief-queen, Kamalaśrī. After he had grown up in course of time, Mahābala made him his heir-apparent like another form of himself.
With his six childhood-friends King Mahābala listened to the religion of the Arhats because of friendship from the same nature. One day he said to his friends, “Listen! I am afraid of existence. I am going to become a mendicant. What will be your course in the future?" They said, “As we have enjoyed together worldly
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