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practice of covering up the mouth or else the god would have advised Somila to stop that practice.
Female-monk in the form of Goddess Bahuputrik of
P r van tha's congregation
goddess in the
Following is the description in relation to Bahuputrik Niray valik S tra's third section and fourth chapter:
The prosperous goddess of Saudharma kalpa, Bahuputrik , came to the samava ara a of Lord Mah v ra in Gu a ilaka garden in R jag ha city. After listening to the sermon, saluting the Lord, that goddess produced an amazing spectacle spreading her right hand and producing 108 young gods and by spreading her left hand and bringing forth 108 young boys and girls of different age-groups. Then she left to her place. Ga adhara Gautama asked Lord Mah v ra – "Lord, who is this goddess? What was she in her past life and how did she get such accomplishments?” The Lord said – “An exceedingly prosperous caravaneer named Bhadra used to reside in Varanasi. His wife Subhadr was very beautiful and chaste but she had no children. She used to waste herself in sorrow and worry, considering herself unfortunate on being childless. One day, a mendicant disciple of Lord P r va, ry Suvrat came to Subhadr 's house along with other female-monks in the course of seeking food offerings. Subhadr gave them respect and looked after them and sought their help telling them of her being childless. The ry said - "goddess, we are not even allowed to think on those matters, but if you wish we can tell you about the religion of detachment which ends all sorrows." When Subhadr agreed the ry , explaining to her the vexation with worldly enjoyments, told her of the importance of the path of renunciation."
"Subhadr felt very happy. She became a female-votary and later a female-monk. After becoming a female-monk the ry Subhadr would play with people's children and this way satisfy her desire for children. Female monk Suvrat explained to her that her behaviour was against the conduct of female-monks, but her behaviour did not change, and in the end she left for another place. There, independently being lax, she observed the mendicant's conduct and in the end observed samlekhan for a month and a half and completing her life, became goddess Bahuputrik in the Saudharma kalpa.
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