Sambodhi 2004 Vol 27

Author(s): J B Shah, N M Kansara
Publisher: L D Indology Ahmedabad

Page 50

RAMKRISHNA BHATTACHARYA
SAMBODHI
said, "Crush with your hands, wet with water, put in a leaf cup and eat." They did just so. In that case too the Lord of the World, told again by them about the pain from undigested food, instructed them again : "Follow the former procedure, put the herbs in your hands and put them in the heat under the arms, then eat them with pleasure.”
Suddenly an accidental discovery led to a change in the life of the people:
While the people were weak from food undisgested in that case also, a fire started from the rubbing together of branches in a group of trees. It burned grass, wood, etc. From the mistaken idea that it was a shining jewel, the people ran and began to take it with outstreched hands. Burned by the fire, terrified, they went to the Lord and said, "Some wonderful new thing has happened.”
Rsabha found it to be a blessing in disguise :
The Master said, “The fire started from the fault of the period of time that is both good and bad. It does not exist in the period that is entirely bad nor in the one that is entirely good. Standing at the side of the fire, take away all adjacent grass etc., and then take is afterwards. Then having prepared the food according to the method told to you earlier, throw the herbs in the flame, cook, and then eat.”
The first experiment proved to be disastrous. Ignorant of the art of cooking the twins threw the herb in the flame which were naturally burned by the fire.
They went to the Master again and said, "O Master ! this greedy (fire) gives us nothing. Like a glutton he alone devours completely the herbs thrown in.” At that time the Lord was seated on an elephant's shoulder, and had them bring a lump of wet clay. Placing the clay on the protuberance on the elephant's forehead (Kumbha) and spreading it with his hand, the Lord made a vessel having its (the Kumbha's) shape ---- the first of the arts.
Hemacandra then goes on to describe how Rsabha appointed carpenters for building houses for the people and painters for painting them. He appointed weavers for making people's clothes, appointed barbers for the people who were much annoyed by the growth of hairs and nails. He then established grassgathering, woodcarrying, ploughing and trade for the sake of his subjects' livelihood. He further established the four-fold means : conciliation, bribery, dissension and force. He taught Bharata, his eldest son, all the seventy-two arts and Bharata, in his turn, taught all these to his brothers.
The account of Hemacandra now proceeds to the establishment of the