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Vardhamana Initiated Himself as a Monk
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After a fast of three days, with a glorious resolution he ascended the supreme palankin, purifying all by his light. x.
He sat on his throne, and Sakra and Îsâna, on both sides, fanned him with chowries, the handles of which were inlaid with jewels and precious stones. xi.
In front it was uplifted by men, covered with joyful horripilation; behind the gods carried it: the Suras and Asuras, the Garudas and the chiefs of Nâgas. xii.
The Suras carried it on the eastern side, and the Asuras on the southeren one; on the western side the Garudas carried it, and the Nâgas on the northern side. xiii.
As a grove in blossom or a lotus-covered lake in autumn looks beautiful with a mass of flowers, so did (then) the firmament with hosts of gods. xiv.
As a grove of Siddhartha20, of Karnikâra21 or of Kampaka22 looks beautiful with a mass of flowers, so did (then) the firmament with hosts of gods. xv.
In the skies and on earth the sound of musical instruments produced by hundreds of thousands of excellent drums, kettledrums, cymbals, and conches was extremely pleasant. xvi.
Then the gods ordered many hundreds of actors to perform a very rich concert of four kinds of instruments: stringed instruments and drums, cymbals and wind-instruments. xvii.
At that period, in that age, in the first month of winter, in th first fortnight, the dark (fortnight) of Mârgasiras, on its tenth day, called Suvrata23, in the Muhûrta called Vigaya, while the moon was in conjunction with the asterism Uttaraphalgunî, when the shadow had turned towards the east, and the first Paurushî24 was over, after fasting three days without taking water, having put on one garment, the Venerable Ascetic Mahâvira, in his palankin Kandraprabhâ, which only a thousand men can carry, with a train of gods, men, and Asuras left the northern Kshatriya part of the place Kundarpura by the high way for the park Gñâtri Shanda. There, just at the beginning of night, he caused the palankin Kandraprabhâ to stop quietly on a slightly raised untouched ground, quietly descended from it, sat quietly down on a throne with the face towards the east, and took off all his ornaments and finery. (22)
The god Vaisramana, prostrating himself25, caught up the
