Jain Legend Vol 1

Author(s): Hastimal Maharaj, Shuganchand Jain, P S Surana
Publisher: Hastimal Maharaj Shugan C Jain P S Surana

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The author of the Cr i wrote that one day because of the friction between bamboo trees on a windy day a fire started suddenly. It consumed dry grass and leaves on the ground. The twins, believing the flame to be the light of some gems, tried to hold it in their hands, but burnt their hands in the process. They threw the burning charcoal and ran to V abhakum ra and told him the whole story. V abhan tha told them this was fire and if they use this same fire to cook their food before eating, they would have no trouble with stomachs. He then taught them to make pots out of wet earth / clay and to cook using these as utensils; the congenital pairs (yugalas) began to consider him god and ruler of men and spent their lives peacefully under his shadow seeking his guidance from time to time. In this way in the transition period between the bhoga-yuga (period of sensual enjoyment without effort) and karmayuga (time of living with effort) V abhan tha looked after the twins like a kulakara. That is why Vabhan tha is eulogised in gama commentaries by c ryas as “jaiy kira kulakaro usabho.”
Lord V abhan tha's progeny
When V abhan tha turned more than 6 lakh years old, Sumamgal gave birth to twins Bharata and Br hm. Soon after this, Sunand too gave birth to B hubal and Sundar. With time, Sumamgal conceived 49 times and gave birth to 49 twins. Sumamgal gave birth to 99 sons and 1 daughter and Sunand became the mother of a son and a daughter. Lord V abhan tha thus had 100 sons and two daughters, 102 children in all. All of them were endowed of perfectly symmetrical bodies and perfectly set bones and muscles like a rock (vajra) i.e. extremely beautiful and strong bodies. c rya Jinasena of the Digambara tradition notes that Lord V abhan tha had 101 sons.
Dev Sumamgal saw 14 great dreams at the time of her first pregnancy. Following this she went to V abhan tha's bedroom and expressed inquisitiveness to learn about the significance of the dreams. V abhan tha told her it seems from the dreams that she would give birth to a son of great merit with the ultimate body who would one day become the emperor (cakravart ) of the entire universe. Dev Sumamgal gave birth to Bharata and Br hm . Bharata's feet had the insignia of 14 gems.
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