Treasury of Jain Tales

SR No.: 006762
Original Sutra Author: N/A
Author: V M Kulkarni
Publisher: Shardaben Chimanbhai Educational Research Centre
Publication Year: 1994
Total Pages: 468
Language: English
Classification: Book_English
File Size: 17 MB

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Kumāra who is the presiding deity of Magadha tirtha.
When the fast was over, the king ordered his army to march ahead towards the Lavana ocean. When they reached the ocean, the king entered it in his chariot but stopped when the water reached the middle of the wheels of the chariot. Then the king shot out an arrow from his powerful bow which dropped right in front of the presiding deity of Magadha tirtha, god Kumāra. He felt tremendously angry and demanded in his big roaring voice, "Who is he that desires death ?" He picked up the arrow and when he looked at it he quickly realised that it belonged to king Bharata. Magadha tirtha had a long tradition of honouring cakravarti kings and so god Kumāra also, according to this tradition, approached the king with rich gifts. Bharata in his turn bowed before the god in an appropriately reverential manner and accepted the gifts. He also held an eight day celebration in honour of the God of Māgadha tirtha.
Towards the end of the week-long celebration, the king saw that the cakra was moving in the south western direction towards Vardama tirtha. The king followed the cakra with his army. Then the cakra moved north-west towards Prabhasa tirtha and the king and his army also followed. At both the places the king held appropriate celebrations in honour of the presiding deities.
The cakra now moved east towards the temple of Sindhudevi. There also the king held his celebrations in honour of the Devi and moved further on in the north-eastern direction towards the mountain Vaitädhya where the cakra had moved. It also moved further towards Timisra Cave in the western direction. The king as usual held celebrations in honour of the deities of the mountain and the cave.
He summoned the commander-in-chief of his army and ordered him to proceed through the various countries on the way and conquer so that his way back home was marked by a victory march. In all he conquered thirtytwo thousand kings throughout the Bharatavarsa and secured the nine well known treasures (Navanidhi) known as (1) Nesarpa, (2) Panduka, (3) Pingalaka, (4) Sarva ratna, (5) Maha-padma, (6) Kāla, (7) Mahākāla, (8)