Jain Journal 1971 01

SR No.: 520021
Original Sutra Author: N/A
Author: Jain Bhawan Publication
Publisher: Jain Bhawan Publication
Publication Year: 1971
Total Pages: 54
Language: English
Classification: Magazine, India_Jain Journal, & India
File Size: 3 MB

Page 51

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JAIN JOURNAL
out Prabhavati's love, asked that she be chosen as Parsva's wife. Asvasena replied that he shared his wish, but that Parsva had grown averse to life and royal glory, and longed for nirvāņa, so that he did not know what Parsva might do. They both went to Parsva, and stated their desire. Parsva answered that eternal, and not perishable possesions were his desire ; that, therefore, he wished to uproot the tree of existence. Asvasena agreed but asked that he should first fulful his father's heart's desire, by founding a family. Parsva consenting, festive preparations were made. The marriage took place.
Once, when the Lord was standing at a window of his palace, he noticed a great concourse of people. On inquiry, he found that they had come to do honour to the ascetic Katha. Out of curiosity the Lord also went to see, and found Katha performing the severe five-fire penance (pañcāgni tapah). And he saw that Katha had thrown a great serpent into a fire-pen, which stood upon the fagots of his fire. He asked the reason for this pitiless practice, inconsistent with Katha's own austerities. Katha replied that kings understood only elephants and horses ; that religion was understood by sages alone. Parsva ordered the fire put out. The agonised serpent came out. It died after uttering namaskāra mantra and was reborn as Dharana, the wealthy king of Nagas. Katha, on the other hand, as the result of his false practices, was reborn as an Asura, by name Meghamalin.
One day in spring Parsva entered a palace in his park and saw there, painted on a wall, the picture of Nemi, the Arhat, engaged in ascetic practice. Reflecting that Nemi had taken the vow in early life, he decided that himself also would abandon the samsāra. The Sarasvatas and other divinities decended from heaven and encouraged him to save the world. After informing his parents of his decision, he began to distribute alms, preparatory to his consecration. The Vasayas from heaven, and princes of the earth prepared his consecration. He mounted a wonderful palanquin, and, to the songs and music of bards, acclaimed by the people of the city, went to a hermitage to enjoy the glorious renunciation. At the foot of an Asoka tree, he renounced power and wealth, plucked out his hair, and at the age of thirty, obtained the knowledge due to mental perfection. Indra gathered five fistfuls of his plucked hair in his own robe, and threw them into the milk ocean. Three dred princess took the vow with him.
On the next day he went to a place called Kopakata, to obtain food in the house of a householder named Dhanya. Next he wandered, until he came into the forest of Kadambari, at the foot of the Kaligiri