________________
64
THE SACRED BOOKS OF THE JAINAS.
-
संखावत्तय जोणी कुम्मुण्णय वंसपत्तजोणी य । तत्थय संखावत्ते णियमा दु विवजदे गब्भो ॥८१॥ शंखावर्तकयोनिः कूर्मोन्नतवंशपत्रयोनी च । तत्रच शंखावर्ते नियमात् विवय॑ते गर्भः॥८१ ॥
81. Nucleus or womb (Yonj), (is of three kinds); conch-circled (Shankha-varta, with circular gradations like the inside of a conch), tortoise-high (Kurmonnata, high like the back of tortoise) and bamboo-leaf (Vanshapatra), (long like the leaf of a bamboo). Of these in the conch like circular nucleus, as a rule, Uterine birth.is denied.
___ Commentary. Necleus may be divided according to its form, (Akāra) or characteristic (Guna), The above 3 divisions are according to the form, and the divisions, according to characteristic, are given in Gatha 83.
There is no uterine birth in the conch-circled nucleus. It is found in goddesses and in some of the wives of (Chakravarti) Rajas.
कुम्मुण्णय जोणीए तित्थयरा दुविह चकवट्टी य । रामावि य जायंते सेसाए सेसगजणो दु॥८२॥ कूर्मोन्नतयोनौ तीर्थंकराः द्विविधचक्रवर्तिनश्च । रामा अपि च जायन्ते शेषायां शेषकजनस्तु ॥२॥
82. In the tortoise-high nucleus, Tirthankaras, the two kinds of Chakravartins and also Balbhadras are born. In the remaining (bamboo-leaf like nucleus) other human beings (are born).
Commentary. Tirthankaras-are the proclaimers of liberation and the guides on the path to it. Their number is twenty-four in each cycle of time in each of the Bharat, and Airavata-kshetras.
Chakravartins--are the monarchs of all the six parts of Bharat kshetra or Airavata kshetra. They are twelve in each cycle of time in each of the two regions.
Jain Education International
For Private & Personal Use Only
www.jainelibrary.org