________________
OMNISCIENCE OF MAHAVIRA
instructing their own trunks for fighting, as it were, by groans. Kāla plunged into the ocean-formation like a boat into the ocean and went near Cetaka like the shore. Cetaka saw Kāla coming like death at the wrong time and reflected: He was hindered by no one, like a thunderbolt. So, I shall instantly kill him, rushing near, Mandara in the ocean of battle, with the divine arrow." Striking him with the divine arrow, thief of the wealth of enemies' lives, Cetaka killed Kāla.
66
Then the sun set, like Prince Kāla, and the world was devoured by darkness like the army of Campa's lord by grief. Giving up fighting, the army of Campa's lord stayed awake. Whence comes sleep to men living in enmity, like men with faithless wives? But the heroes in Ceṭaka's army passed the night holding a dance of victory with music from the drums of victory. On the next day Ceṭaka killed Mahākāla, installed as general by Campa's lord, like Kāla. Ceṭaka killed eight other generals, sons of Śrenika, one a day, as before.
The King of Campã reflected: "Ten brothers equal to myself, Kāla and the others, have been killed by Ceṭaka. Victorious by the favor of a deity and a single arrow, Arya Ceṭaka can not be killed by mortals numbered by crores. Alas! As I did not know that power of Ceṭaka, ten godlike brothers were sent to death by me alone. My fate will be the same as theirs. It is not fitting for me, having seen the slaughter of my brothers, to retreat. Propitiating a deity, I shall conquer the enemy by his power. For divine power is restrained by divine power."
321
Having determined on this device and having put the god in his heart, the king, Śreņika's son, observed a three-day fast. Impelled by his penance and the friendship in a former birth, Sakra and Indra Camara came to him then. The Indra of the gods and the Indra of the Asuras said, "Sir, what do you wish?" He said, If you are pleased, let Ceṭaka be killed." Sakra said again: "Ask for something else. Cetaka is a co-religionist of mine. Certainly, I will not kill him.
66
41 M
Jain Education International
For Private & Personal Use Only
www.jainelibrary.org