Jain Journal 1970 04

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

Page 32

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JAIN JOURNAL
placed in the womb of the Brāhmani Devananda.' Thus reflecting, he called Harinegamesi, the commander of his infantry and instructed him to exchange the embryos, and to return and report the execution of the command.
Harinegamesi descended from heaven and reached the town of Kundagrama and the house of the Brāhmaṇa Risabhadatta. There he bowed eight times to Mahavira, and cast the Brāhmaṇi Devananda into a deep sleep, and all her retenue ; removing all that was unclean, he brought forth what was clean, and placed the embryo of the venerable ascetic Mahavira in the womb of the Ksatriyāni Trisala, and the embi Ksatriyāṇi in the womb of the Brāhmani Devananda. And having so done, he returned whence he came. This befell on the eighty-third day after conception, in the middle of the night.
On that night the Ksatriyāni Trisala lay on her couch, twixt sleeping and waking, in her bower. Then there came to her the fourteen auspicious and delightful dreams that the Brāhmani Devananda had formerly dreamed.
From these auspicious and happy dreams the Ksatriyāni Trisala awoke. She then sought the couch of the Ksatriya Siddhartha, and related to him the fourteen dreams, and asked her lord what they might portend. He foretold that she would give birth to a son, who would establish the fame of their family.
At daybreak, Siddhartha called for his servants, and ordered them to prepare the hall of audience. He himself went to the royal gymnasium and practised exercises, such as jumping, wrestling, fencing, and fighting, till he was wearied. Then he was well shampooed ; and when he was refreshed, he entered the bath-room. He bathed himself with pure scented water. Then he dried himself and donned a new and costly robe. A royal umbrella was held above him as he proceeded from his bath and took his seat in the hall of audience, surrounded by chiefs and vassals, ministers, merchants and masters of guilds. On the one side of the throne he had set eight chairs of state ; and on the other a curtain was drawn and behind this curtain was placed a jewelled chair of state for the Ksatriyāni Trisala.
Then Siddhartha sent for the interpreters of dreams; and they came from their houses and took their seats on the chairs of state. Meanwhile Trisala took her seat behind the curtain. Siddhartha recounted the dreams to the interpreters, and they, after consideration and