Religion and Culture of the Jains

Author(s): D C Sirkar
Publisher: University of Calcutta

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RELIGION AND CULTURE OF THE JAINS
cattle. Once he drew a horoscope (lagna) on the surface of a rock, but forgot to efface it before returning home in the evening. On remembering it he went back to the spot in the night only to find a lion sitting over it; but he effaced the drawing fearlessly by putting his hand under the lion's belly. The lion gave up his animal mask and appeared as the Sungod and told him to ask a boon. Varaha requested him to show him the entire circle of stars and planets whereupon the god had him seated in his transport and enabled him to examine closely the movements of all the heavenly bodies. When he returned after a year he became famous as Varahamihira in allusion to the favour of the Sun-god (Mihira), was patronised by king Nanda and composed a treatise on astrology called Värähi Samhitā. Once when a son was born to him, he closely examined the moment and from his intimate personal knowledge of the planets prophesied a hundred-year life for the nowborn babe. All but his younger full-brother, the Jain teacher Bhadrabahu, came to him with presents and participated in the festivities marking the occassion. Varaha complained to the Jain minister Sakaṭāla about it. On being told about it, Bhadrabahu said that he had not attended the function as, according to his calculation, the child would meet death from a cat on the 20th day. And notwithstanding all the effors to prevent the calamity the prediction came out true, and the child expired in the night as an iron chain bearing an engraved figure of a cat fell on his head. Varaha mihira was utterly disappointed and was about to consign all the books to fire when Bhadrabahu came to console him and prevented him from doing so. But being envious of Bhadrabahu, Varahamihira took recourse to black magic and caused trouble to some and death to some others of his (Bhadrabahu's) lay followers whereupon Bhadrabahu composed a new hymn (stotra) called Uvasaggaharapāsa with the object of averting these disturbances.*
The same episode, with some minor differences and elaboration of details, is related by Rajasekharasuri in his
4 Prabandhacintamani, ed. Jinavijaya Muni, Singhi Jaina Series, No. 1, Santiniketan, 1939, Prakāśa V, pp. 118-19.