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THE LIFE OF MAHĀVIRA
throttles the cold and disperses the evil-doers who stroll about at night, whose thousand rays obscure the lustre of other lights', showed that the child should dispel the
darkness of ignorance. viii The sects do not agree as to what the eighth dream of
the princess was about. The Svetāmbara believe she saw a beautiful banner (an Indra Dhvaja) embroidered with those signs which Hindus and Jaina alike consider specially auspicious, and to whose golden pole 1 was tied a plume of peacock's feathers; while the Digambara affirm that she
saw two fishes, which showed the child was to be happy. ix The ninth dream, the Svetāmbara say, was a golden
pitcher of exquisite beauty, filled with water-or, according to others, with jewels—which was the abode of happy fortune and was wreathed at all seasons with fragrant flowers, portending happiness. The Digambara assert that she saw two golden pitchers filled with pure water, to show that the child should be constantly immersed in spiritual meditation. x The next vision was that of a lotus lake whose flowers
were licked by bees and mad drones ', from which Trisalā knew that her baby would possess all the marks of a perfect being; or, as the Sthānakavāsi say, that the honey of his sermons would be eagerly absorbed by the whole world. xi The princess then saw the milk ocean, white as the
breast of Lakşmi, tossing its transparent breakers as the wind played over it and the great rivers rushed into it, and this foretold that the child should attain to the perfect
knowledge of the Kevali. xia At this point the Digambara, who believe the princess
saw not fourteen but sixteen dreams, insert a vision of a throne of diamonds and rubies, which foretold that the coming child should rule over the three worlds.
1 According to the Tapagaċċha sect the pole was topped by a temple roof.
