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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his subjects. He held the 1008 excellent insignias of the conch, cakra (wheel), gad (club), padma (lotus), chatra (parasol), c mara (fly-whisk), dhvaja (flag), a i (moon), S rya (sun) etc. The glory of king Bharata began to be sung across all directions.
After 1000 years of Bharata's taking over the throne of Vint, on account of his strong meritorious deeds, one day a divine cakra (wheel) appeared in his armoury. Seeing this, keeper of the armoury came at great speed in the presence of the king, gave the news to the king of the appearance of the divine cakra. Hearing this good news from the mouth of the keeper of the armoury, the king was overjoyed. He sent him after giving him gifts, etc. completely satisfying him.
Thereafter, adorning himself with fine robes and jewellery, surrounded by a group of high officials of the kingdom, subjects, elders, king Bharata reached the armoury to see and invoke the cakra jewel. After respectful and auspicious ceremonies to the cakra jewel, Bharata returned to his assembly and seating himself on his royal throne ordered the celebrations for eight days on the auspicious occasion of obtaining the wheel (cakra) jewel. At the time of the completion of the a hnik celebrations the cakra jewel was taken out of the armoury. Invoked by thousands of gods the cakra jewel, surrounded by divine long, intense and sweet notes of music, passed through the skies and past the centre of the Vint city and the south bank of river Gamg towards the Magadha t rtha on the east. King Bharata began to follow the divine cakra with four battalions of army on a consecrated elephant. Passing through the skies, the cakra would pause after every yojana distance, and then the king would rest there with his army. The moment the divine cakra would begin its movement in the sky, the king would resume moving ahead with his army. Kings of provinces that came on the way would accept his sovereignty and give him appropriate gifts. This way, raising the banner of his victory king Bharata reached Magadha t rtha.
Near Magadha t rtha emperor Bharata set up a huge army camp at a spot that was 12 yojanas long and 9 yojanas wide. When the camp became well-organised emperor Bharata started to observe a fast in honour of the ruling god of Magadha t rtha. After completing his austerities the emperor moved his chariot ahead in the direction shown by the cakra jewel and covering parts of the earth with his huge army, moving eastwards from Magadhat rtha entered the salt ocean.
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