Jain Journal 1974 07

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

Page 26

JULY, 1974
in the holy order for eleven years, and I used to practise fasts missing six meals at a time, thus fixing my soul in restraint and penance. Wandering from place to place and moving from village to village, I came near a slab of stone under an excellent Asoka tree in a forest strip named Asoka of the city of Sumsumarapura. Having arrived there, beneath that excellent Asoka tree, on the stone slab, I courted fasts missing six meals at a time, and then having contracted both my legs, with hands hanging downward, with my vision fixed on a single object, with eyes without a wink, with the upper half of the body slightly bent, and having controlled all my sense organs I courted mahāpratimā for a night and went into meditation.
In that period, at that time, metropolis Camaracanca was without an Indra, without a Priest. The aforesaid heretical monk Purana, having spent 12 years in the order of monks, enriched his soul by a monthlong fast missing in all sixty meals, and passed away, and was born as Indra in the Hall of Genesis in metropolis Camaracanca.
The said Camara, the Indra of the Asuras, their king, just born, became enriched with five attainments, which were, attainment of food,... till of expression and of mind. When Camara, the Indra of the Asuras, their king, became enriched with the five attainments, thereon, by dint of his natural avadhi knowledge, he looked as far up...till Saudharmakalpa, where he beheld Sakra, the Indra of the gods, their king, controller of mighty clouds, subduer of Paka, performer of a hundred pratimās, with a thousand eyes, destroyer of the fortresses (towns) of the Asuras, ...till shining in all the ten directions, seated on a throne named Sakra, in the best of palaces named Saudharmavatamsaka in Saudharmakalpa.... till enjoying divine pleasures. Thereon this idea, noble, thoughtful and serious, came up in his mind :
Who is this fellow, covetous of an undesirable (death), with inauspicious marks, shameless and graceless, born on an incomplete fourteenth day, that takes his seat without hesitation above my head ? I am in possession of a great divine fortune, a great divine glow, a great divine influence. I have acquired them and these are at my disposal. But how does he continue to live above my head enjoying all divine pleasures ?
Having thought thus, he sent for the gods born in the Samanika Hall, and said unto them the following words :
Oh beloved of the gods! Who is this fellow, covetous of an