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he stayed in that underground cellar enjoying pleasures in the company of those beloveds and forgetting his parents and kingdom. Thus twelve years elapsed. One early morning, a voice of an unseen bard greeted him by his name, reminded him 1) of the rise and fall in Samsara, and urged him to mind his benefit of the next world. That voice was heard by him for seven continuous nights, reminding him 2) to develop virati in his heart, 3) of the mockery of enjoyments, 4) that Dharma alone is the real shelter, 5) that worldly pleasures never give lasting satisfaction, 6) that samsara has terrible miseries, and 7) that the enjoyment of sense-pleasures is fatal, and must, therefore, be followed by the practice of samiti, gupti and penances. His mind was distracted; so next day, he questioned that voice why this renunciatory admonition was being given to him. The voice reminded him of the time he spent in the cellar, and requested him to get out of it and meet the Sarvajña. When his beloveds tried to come in his way, he made them ponder over the advice of that voice. They also agreed to follow his footsteps. So he came here for verification of the veracity of the bardic appeal. Thus this Vajragupta is enlightened along with his beloveds.' Mahāvīra reminded him of his past colleagues and the series of births. Manirathakumara is here; Kamagajendra is here; and he is Vajragupta, the soul of Lobhadeva. He is thus enlightened by the souls (in heaven) of Māyāditya and Caṇḍasoma, through that bardic voice. Vajragupta accepts renunciation, so also his beloveds (Pages 244.28-256.20; *79.40-*84.8) MAHĀVĪRA'S DISCOURSE ON GODS; SVAYAMBHUDEVA'S CAREER AND DīkṢĀ: In reply to a question raised by Gautama in the Samavasaraṇa, at Hastinapura, that gods, unlike kings, do not necessarily favour and punish when they are pleased and displeased, Mahāvīra expounded that there were two classes of gods, sarāga and virāga. The former (Govinda, Skanda, Rudra etc.,) are full of attachment and aversion (rāga and dveṣa) and seem to bestow favours and frowns; but, really speaking, these are the coincidental results of one's own Karmas. The nīrāga gods preach the path of liberation, and those who worship them get the happiness of Mokşa, in due course. These gods are indifferent to praise or blame, but he who offers these to them will get the fruits of his bhāvanā. Just then there entered a Brāhmaṇa boy who wanted to know from Mahāvīra what that bird was, whether it could use human speech, and whether its statements were true. To allay the curiosity of the audience, Mahāvīra narrated as below: 'This is Svayambhudeva, the eldest son of Yajñadeva, a rich and learned Brahmin of Saralapura. Soon after the death of Yajñadeva, the family was reduced to poverty. Svayambhudeva was urged by his mother to earn a prosperous living. He pleaded that prosperity depended on punya of which they were devoid now. Determined rather to die than to return home in poverty, he left home and, wandering for long, reached at last the town of Campa. He reached there rather late; so he decided to stay for the night on a Tamala tree. There he heard the conversation of two merchant youths who buried some treasure under that tree, covered it with earth, marked it with a creeper, appealed to divinity to guard it duly, and went away. Svayambhudeva thought that his luck was favourable. After digging out the treasure, he found there five precious jewels. He took them, and started home with great joy. On
KUVALAYAMALA
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