Unknown Pilgrims

SR No.: 007014
Original Sutra Author: N/A
Author: N Shanta
Publisher: Sri Satguru Publications Delhi
Publication Year: 1997
Total Pages: 820
Language: English
Classification: Book_English
File Size: 19 MB

Page 255

The Followers of the Ever Growing One
(begging bowl) in its uri (a sort of string bag) upon her shoulder and her kaippili (small peacock-feather fan) in her hand, and praying that the pañcamantra might act as their guide upon the road, Kavunti, the supremely virtuous, joined the young couple and all three set forth on foot. 287
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After several days' travelling through fields and villages, following the bank of the Kāvēri, they arrived at Srirangam,288 There they met a cāraṇa, a particular sort of Jaina ascetic possessing supernatural powers;289 this latter, addressing himself to Kavunti, broke into a spontaneous utterance in which he extolled the arhats or jinas. Kavunti, inspired by this hymn of praise, replied with one even more sublime in which she proclaimed the consecration of her whole person to the worship of the arhats who, according to the authentic Jaina angle of vision, must travel the road towards supreme Realisation. Then the caraṇa blessed them and they continued on their way, crossing the Kaveri in a boat to reach the south bank of the river. As they were resting after the crossing, an inquisitive wastrel and his female companion came up and pestered them with idle questions. Kavunti, indignant, cursed them and charged that they should be turned into jackals, which at once, so the tale goes, took place, for this curse came from the mouth of an ascetic. Kõvalan and Kaṇṇaki
287 Cf. Cilappatikāram, pp. 178-180; pañcamantra: Namaskāra-mantra.
288
A very ancient holy place. It is nowadays part of the city of Tirucirapalli, which is of much more recent date. The Atlas only refers to this latter from the XIIIth c. onwards.
289
Caraṇa, from caraṇa or a form of ṛddhi: supernatural powers possessed by certain munis, powers which accrued to them thanks to their purity of life and their practice of certain austerities. These powers include e.g. levitation, walking on water without causing the least ripple, travel at speed through space etc.. ;cf. JSK I, pp. 475-483; 483-487 for other types of riddhi. Certain inscsrs. of Śravana Belgola indicate that Kundakunda possessed the power of levitation and that he moved at will through space; cf. Upadhye, PSa, Introd., p. 8, ns. 1; 2; cf. also P 300 n.59.