________________
174
भगवती सूत्र श: २ उः १ विहरित्तए त्ति कटु एवं संपहेइ संपेहित्ता कल्लं पाउप्पभायाए रयणीए जाव... जलंते जेणेव समणे भगवं महावीरे तेणेव जाव...पज्जुवासइ।
In that period, at that time, congregation assembled in the city of Rājagļha... till people dispersed. After this, one night, at the last quarter, as monk Skandaka was keeping a spiritual vigil performing dharma-jāgaraņā, he had in mind such thought...till resolve :
I have, because of penances, become...till weak, with arteries and veins succinctly visible. I move and stand only by the power of my spirit...till feel pain and weakness,... till I rattle as I move, I rattle as I stand. (But) upto now, I have endeavour, activity, strength, energy and selfexertion,...till my spiritual teacher and spiritual guide, Sramaņa Bhagavän Mahāvira, lives on this earth like a mighty elephant, it is worthy of me that, as this night is lifted up, at day-break, when the sun, who helps the lotuses to blossom, who shines red like the red aśoka flower, red like the kimśuka flower, or the beak of the parrot, or the red half of the guñja fruit, who helps the cluster of lotuses to open, who holds a thousand rays, brilliant with glow, I go to śramaņa Bhagavān Mahavira, and pay homage and obeisance,...till worship him, and with his permission, courting by self the five Great Yows, forgiving and being forgiven by the monks, I go slowly up, in the company of capable senior monks, atop Mount Vipula, which has the hue of the clouds, and on which gods descend, whereon I select a slab of stone, spread my last darva bed, rid my soul of all passions, cut down bondage of karma, give up all intake of food and water, and lie in wait, without hankering for death, fixed in pădapopagamana (tree-like) end.
Having decided in this manner, the next day, at dawn ...till the sun was brilliant in its glow, (monk Skandaka) came to the place where Sramaņa Bhagavān Mahāvira was... till worshipped him.