Jain Journal 1971 04

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

Page 84

The Auspicious Dreams of Ksatriyani Trisala
Jina Caritra, Kalpa Sūtra
The Kalpa Sutra is supposed to have been composed in its original form by Bhadrabahu who is reckoned as one of the earliest teachers and most prominent authors among the Jainas. He is said to have been the sixth Thera after Mahavira and to have died 170 years after Mahavira's nirvāna. In its present form it is a compilation made in A.D. 454 during the reign of Dhruvasena, the king of Gujarat. It has three parts: (1) Jina Caritra (the biography of the Jinas) with descriptions in the kāvya style, Therāvali (list of schools, their branches and heads of schools) and (3) Sāmācāri (rules for the ascetic). According to the Svetambaras, the Kalpa Sūtra is a great authority and is always read publicly during the Paryusana. The text has been translated by H. Jacobi in SBE vol. xxii and by Dr. J. Stevenson in 1848. Below we present Dream sequence of the Ksatriyani Trisala, mother of Lord Mahavira. 1
In that night in which the embryo of the Venerable Ascetic Mahavira was removed from the womb of the Brahmani Devananda of the Jalandharayana gotra to that of the Ksatriyani Trisala of the Vasistha gotra, the latter was in her dwelling-place, of which the interior was ornamented with pictures, and the outside whitewashed, furbished and cleansed, the brilliant surface of the ceiling was painted, the darkness was dispelled by jewels and precious stones, the floor was perfectly level and adorned with auspicious figures ; which, moreover, was furnished with offerings of heaps of delicious, fragrant, strewn flowers of all five colours, was highly delightful through curling, scented fumes of black aloe, the finest