Page Text
________________
living beings.’After the gods left king Ajita called prince Sagara and said, “I want to renounce all kinds of mundane things and want to be firm in the path of austerities; hence you take over the responsibilities of the kingdom”. Hearing these words from the king's mouth Sagara stood dumbfounded as though struck by a thunderbolt. His eyes were brimming with tears. Crying, he said, “I have considered you as my father, mother and teacher. I cannot live a moment away from you. Distanced form you I cannot accept even the sole control of the entire world, leave alone this kingdom. If you have resolved to renounce then allow me too to be at your service." Saying this Sagara laid his head at the feet of his elder brother.
A Year's charities and Initiation
After the coronation of prince Sagara the king gave charities for one year. He would donate one crore gold coins each every single morning. After completion of a year's charities 64 Indras including akra came in the service of the king. Gods such as akra and Devendra and king Sagara organised the king Ajita's renunciation ceremony. The king, adorned in all finery, was placed on a palanquin named Suprabh. Groups of people along with gods held the king's palanquin and reached Sahasr mravana situated outside the Vint city. A huge gathering of gods and people arrived to watch the great ceremony. On the ninth day of the bright fortnight of M gha month with moon in conjunction with the Rohi constellation, king Ajita himself took his clothes and ornaments off and accepted the divine cloth (devad ya) offered by akra. Thereafter, pulling five fistfuls of hair reciting “namo Siddh am”, saluting the liberated souls, and observing a fast along with one thousand kings he accepted a lifelong conduct of mendicancy. The moment he took initiation he attained direct awareness of thought-forms of others sans the aid of mind and senses (manah paryavaj na).
Period of mendicancy (Chadmastha)
The next day after initiation king Brahmadatta broke the fast of the Lord Ajitan tha with an offering of rice pudding in S keta (Ayodhya, another name of Vin t ) and became the first giver of alms. Here five kinds of heavenly showers occurred. After initiation, the Lord wandered from village to village for 12 years as a mendicant. For 12 years the Lord kept annihilating the accumulation of karmas through observation of external
88
| SR No. | 007594 |
| Book Title | Jain Legend Vol 1 |
| Original Sutra Author | N/A |
| Author | Hastimal Maharaj, Shuganchand Jain, P S Surana |
| Publisher | Hastimal Maharaj Shugan C Jain P S Surana |
| Publication Year | 2011 |
| Total Pages | 367 |
| Language | English |
| Classification | Book_English |
| File Size | 2 MB |