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XI
THE VICTOR'S PENANCE
The Uvahāņasuyam (the śruta on penance) of the Ayāro (First Śrutaskandha, Chapter IX) gives a vivid picture of the ascetic life of Lord Mahāvīra, that sets the example to be followed by the aspirants to jinahood. It is in fact a description that led the authors of Jaina monasticism to formulate the Jinakalpa, the Victor's Course, of which we have given a brief account in the chapter “The Four Monastic Courses”. Here we give a versified English rendering of the Uvahāņasuyam, each English verse being preceded by its Prakrit original. The Prakrit expression uvahāna is comparable to the Pali word padhāna, meaning 'exertion, energetic effort, striving, concentration of mind'.
UVAHĀŅASUYAM
1. ahasuyam vaissåmi, jaha se samane bhagavam utthaya;
samkhāě tamsi hemante, ahunā pavvaie riitthā. (1) Relate shall I, as actually I heard,
How that Samana, the Lord, waking, Perceiving, in that autumn, Travelled, just ordained.
2. no cev’imeņa vattheņa, pihissāmi tamsi hemante;
se pāraě āvakahãe, eyam khu anudhammiyam tassa. (2) With this robe, shan't I,
Cover myself that autumn (vowed He), And observed (the vow) for ever;
His obedience to the Law indeed was such. 3. cattāri sāhie mäse, bahave pāņa jāiyāgamma;
abhirujjha kāyam viharimsu, ārusi yāņam tattha himsimsu. (3) More than four months,
Living beings of varieties many, gathering, Climbing, crawled over His body, And wounded Him stinging in anger and wrath,
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