Kalpasutra

Author(s): J Stevenson
Publisher: Oriental Translation Fund London

Page 67

LIFE OF MAHAVIRA.
infinitule, and who does not return again to the world, who is named the obtainer of perfection, and has reached the highest place of dignity.
Adoration to the victor, who has in his breast the assurance of victory, I adore the worshipful, venerable Mahávíra, who has performed all the preliminary virtuous acts, and is the last of the Tirthankars, pointed out by all the former Tirthankars, and who has at last obtained the supreme object of desire. I prostrate myself before the all-venerable, who now seems to me gone thither, and present here; O Lord, both here and there, I adore thee." So saying, he returned and took his seat on his throne. After a little while, reflecting within himself on the subject before him, the following thoughts occurred to the mind of Sakra*, prince and king of the gods; Surely such a thing as this has never happened in past, happens not in present, nor will happen in future time, that an Arhat, a Chakravarti, a Bala leva, or a Vasudeva should be born in a low caste family, a servile family, a degraded family, a poor family, it mean family, a beggar's family, or a Brahman's family; but, on the contrary, in all time past, present, and
* In Mindhi Silk, the colomon name of Indra among writers in this and the Pali language. The word is much the same as "The Almighty," used as a name for the Deits, which in Inlm corresponds to "Lorl"