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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worshipped her god. Out of great compassion for the young woman, the god made such arrangement that Sulasă and Devaki conceived at the same time and delivered their children at the same time. Sulasă's child, as the prediction had said, was still-born. But the god that she had sincerely worshipped took the still-born child from the side of Sulasā and left it in Devaki's bed and Devaki's child was brought to Sulasă. This happened not once but all the six times and Aristanemi continued, "So Devaki, these six monks are none else but your own children. The words of the sage Atimukta have not gone wrong at all."
Devaki went to meet the six monks. She was greatly overcome by tender motherly affection. Her eyes were filled with tears and breasts secreted milk.
When she came back home, it was with very sad thoughts. "What an unlucky mother I am. I gave birth to lovely children but came to be deprived of all the joys of a mother. How happy are the mothers to feed their babies at their breast and take pleasure in watching their childish activities. "As Devaki was brooding over her misfortune, her son Vāsudeva came to pay his respects to the mother. But when he saw her sad face, he asked her what the matter was that had made her feel so upset. Devaki briefly narrated the story of Sulasă as was told to her by Aristanemi. Vāsudeva Krsna also felt greatly touched. However he comforted his mother and promised that another son would be born to her soon enough. He would persuade the right gods to bless her with one.
Väsudeva Krsna, thereupon came to a pausadhas ālā, a place where Jain householders stay for a certain period and strictly observe a religious vow called pausadha. Vasudeva also observed the astamabhakta penance in order to propitiate the god Karinaigamesin. The god was pleased with the austerity of the penance and the purity of devotion with which Krsna worshipped him during the period of the vow. At the end of it, he appeared before Vasudeva to tell him how very much pleased he was with his penance and sincerity of devotion and asked him what did he expect the god to do, for him. Krsna folded his hands and said: "O Lord, my earnest request to you is that my mother needs a son and