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

Page 212

25. MAHĀBALA CARITRA
In the city of Vänijyagrăma there lived a rich merchant by name Sudarsana. By inclination he was religious and never lost an occasion to offer his worshipful regards to monks that visited the place; he also practised under their guidance penances to purify his soul.
Once Mahavira himself came to Vānijyagrāma. He even held discourses to enlighten the people of the town. Sudarsana was most anxious to see the great omniscient. He started on foot towards the place where the Great One had camped. A large number of people had gathered there. Sudarsana, who was supremely pleased to have a look at the great prophet paid his most sincere homage, and took a seat amonast the vast audience. Mahavira's discourse, he thought, was extremely illuminating and he was greatly impressed. As the preacher stopped, Sudarsana got up, humbly bowed to the Master and asked about the various divisions of Time. The Master replied, "O, Sudarsana, Time is four-fold: 1) Pramanakāla, 2) yathayurnirvrttikāla, 3) maranakala, 4) addhäkāla." The Great Master also explained the divisions and sub-divisions of these four. Sudarsana asked the exact purpose of palyopama and sāgaropama, the two measures of time. Mahavira answered that both of them were units of time in which the life time of nāraka, human beings and gods was measured. Sudarsana asked whether time measured either way was subject to decay. The Master replied that it was so and illustrated it with the story of Mahābala which in fact was the previous birth of Sudarsana,
In the city of Hastinapura, there ruled king Bala. His queen