Jainism the Creed for All Times

SR No.: 006564
Original Sutra Author: N/A
Author: D S Baya
Publisher: Prakrit Bharti Academy
Publication Year: 2006
Total Pages: 420
Language: English
Classification: Book_English
File Size: 20 MB

Page 42

Tīrtharkaras and the Cakravartins have. These fourteen dreams were – 1. The white elephant, 2. The ox-bull, 3. The Lion, 4. The goddess Laksmī, 5. The flowergarland descending from the heavens, 6. The Moon, 7. The Sun, 8. The flowing flag, 9. The golden pot filled with clean water, 10. The lotus pond, 11. The sweet water sea, 12. The lotus shaped heavenly spacecraft (Vimāna),
13. The pile of precious gems and 14. The smokeless fire. 3. As soon as He was conceived, the gods showered great
wealth and filled king Siddhārtha's treasury with precious
metals and gems. 4. Since his conception the republic started prospering in
every way and the parents decided to name the child as
'Vardhaman? 5. The Svetāmbara tradition believes that Vardhamāna's soul
was first conceived by Devānanda, a Brahmin lady, the wife of Rsabhadatta, a learned Brahmin scholar. When Sakra, the heavenly king, realised that a Tīrtharkara must be born of noble parentage such as the kings and the queens only, he asked his lieutenant Harinagameśī god to interchange the foetus in the womb of Devānanda with that in the womb of queen Trisalā. The order was duly carried out and Vardhaman Mahāvīra was, thus, born of
the royal womb. 6. While Vardhamān was still in his mother's womb, he
thought that his foetal movements might cause discomfort to his mother and he stopped moving. The mother, however, thought differently and interpreted the lack of movement by the foetus as foetal death and became very much distressed. Realising the intensity of mother's affection and attachment for even an unborn child, the Prophet to be vowed that he would not accept monastic ordination as long as his parents lived.
14: JAINISM: THE CREED FOR ALL TIMES