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The Life of Lord Sri Mahavira
precious stones, he distributed them in charity, and distributed them among his relatives.
All this happened in the winter season, the first half of the first month, that is to say after the full moon of Margśirsa, the tenth day, when the shadow was turned to the east, and but one watch of the day remained, on the day called opeyance (Sannati) and the hour (Muhurta) called victory (Vijayenam). He proceeded in the Candraprabha palanquin, accompanied by gods, men and Titans bearing some conchs, some quoits and some golden ploughshares; acted the part of heralds, some raised the weak to see the show, some personated bards, some sounded gongs. and all in melodious accents, spoke as follows :
"Victory, Victory, and prosperity! Victory, Victory to thee! O Lord possessed of indesturctible intelligence and perception, conqueror of the un-conquered passions, protector of the Ascetic Religion! O thou, who hast for ever overcome every obstacle, O divine sage, who art now united to perfection, bind the two giants (Anger and Malice), by the austerities, and like a hero girding up thy loins overcome the eight enemies, by thy auste ritiies; whose power lies in works and performing the purest and chief kind of meditations, devoid of passion, like a warrior seize the flag of victory erected in the battlefield of the three worlds, and obtain a knowledge cloudless, incomparable, perfect and supreme, rise to emancipation, the highest state of bliss, by that most excellent of roads pointed by the Jinas, a road free from all perplexing deviousness and slay all the foes that oppose by progress. Victory! Victory to the chief of Ksatriyas, for many days, many fortnights, many months, many seasons, many holy years, having vanquished all natural evils, and accidental diseases, may he obtain perfect patience and equanimity, subduing fear and grief, and performing without obstruction on every required religious act"
So saying they again made the air resound with the shout of "Victory! Victory"! Thereon the Adorable Ascetic Mahavira, gazed on by a circle of thousands of mouths, venerated by a circle of a thousand of hearts, surrounded by a circle of thousands whose hearts were won to religion by his conduct, pointed out with admiration by the right hand fore-fingers of a circle of thousands of men and women, with a circle of thousands of friends and relations taking leave of him, and with the sounds of violins, drums, cymbals, tambourines, and other instruments of music, and a chorus of voices, shouting "Victory! Victory!" accompanied also with all his wealths, all his glory, all his troops, all his chariots, all his attendants, all his magnificence, all his ornaments, all hist wealth, all his subjects, all his dancers, all the musicians, all the members of the female apartments in the midst of all these attendents,a nd while all those musical instruments were sounding, he proceeded through the midst of Kuandgräma, to the garden out of the city, where the Asoka tree grew; under he alighted from the palanquin Candraprabha, and stri pped himself of all his garlands, jewels, and ornaments, he then, performed the fast of abstinence from six-meals without drinking water, and having plucks out five locks of his hair, he then, under the constellation Uttara Phalguna, at a fortunate conjunction of the moon, assumed the garment of the monks, and all alone, without a companion, and having been shaved, from a householder he became a houseless pilgrim.
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