Jain Journal 1970 04

Author(s): Jain Bhawan Publication
Publisher: Jain Bhawan Publication

Page 31

Lives of the Jinas and other Stories*
Mahavira
At the close of his alloted period of existence in heaven, Mahavira, the last of the Tirthankaras, took conception in the womb of Devananda, the wife of Brāhmaṇa Risabhadatta, in the town of Kundagrama near Vaisali, capital of Vedeha.
That night the Brāhmaṇi Devananda lay in fitful slumber, between sleeping and waking, and she dreamed fourteen auspicious and blessed dreams, to wit : of an elephant, a bull, a lion, the anointing (of the goddess Sri), a garland, the moon, the sun, a flag, a vase, a lotus lake, an ocean, a celestial abode, a heap of jewels and a flame. She awoke from these dreams happy and contented ; and having firmly fixed the dreams in her mind, she sought the Brāhmaṇa Risabhadatta and related to him the dreams. Risabhadatta saw that they foretold a son. beautiful and perfect and clever, who would become acquainted with all branches of scripture, grammar and science.
Meanwhile, Sakra (Indra) sat on his throne in the council hall Sudharma in heaven. He was then enjoying the divine pleasures like music, playing and story-telling. He likewise surveyed the whole land of Jambudvipa with his all-embracing gaze, and he saw that Mahavira was conceived in the womb of Devananda. Trembling with delight, he arose from his throne and advanced in the direction of the Holy One. Then from there he paid his respects.
It immediately occured to him that it never had happened nor ever could happen that any Arhat, Cakravarti, or Vāsudeva had taken birth in a low or degraded or in any Brāhmaṇa family, but only in noble families of pure descent. “This is the first time that an Arhat has taken conception in an unworthy family ; however, it has not yet happened that one has ever been born in such a family I shall therefore cause the venerable ascetic Mahavira to be removed from Brahmanical quarter Kundagrama and from the womb of the Brāhmani Devavananda, and to be placed as an embryo in the womb of the Ksatriyāņi Trisala, wife of Kşatriya Siddhartha ; and the embryo of the Kșatriyāņi Trisala to be
references to
the Jaina
These biographical sketches and stories have miniature paintings reproduced in this journal.