________________
182
went to pay ho na ge to his son Mirtoi. While going there, and bending down his head devoutedly, and giving respectful obeisance at every spot to the great sages who possessed arcu feu Cāraṇa Lablhi, Avadhi Jkāna, Manah paryāya Jžāna, who were always ready to practise severe penances, who were exposing themselves to the rays of the Sun, who were practising various difficult painful sitting-postures, and who were wholly occupied in solving the difficult problems of the Sāstras, and looking towards them with unwinking eyes, he reached the place where Marici was sitting. Martoi had placed his faque Tridaņda,-Triplestaff of the Brahmana ascetic-on his side; he had warded the heat of the Sun by a white umbrella, and his mind was directed to giving religious preaching to people coming to him out of curiosity on seeing his strange appearance on acoount of various articles of use such as clothes, utensils, etc. suitable to the ocoupation devised by his own untutored intellect.
On seeing him from a distance, as if he manifested an unconimon pious devotion by horripilation; as if he showed the unprecedented affection of his heart; as if he adorned him with flowers falling from his head bent down on his first sight; as if he indicated the auspicious lamp by the mass of rays spreading out in various directions from the spotless precious stones of the finger-rings of his hands; and as if he showed excess of pious devotion by mind, speech, and body, while going thrice around him, Bharata Cakravartin made respectful obeisance by bowing down his head to the surface of the ground, became deeply engrossed in profound rejoicing, and said " O child, you are a receptacle of numerous excellent qualities. Your name occupies a pre-eminent place among virtuous people How cannot any one be proud of the excellent rates Ikşvāku Race in which your spotless fame appears elegant like a flag of victory ? Or to whom is not the soil sanctified by your lotus-like feet, worshipful? You have already acquired whatever great benefits can be gained to devout persons by severe penances.” Because Bhagavān Sri Rişabha-deva Swāmi indicating the supreme nature of his Soul, said “ You will become the son of King Siddhartha of the K$er
Jain Education International
For Private & Personal Use Only
www.jainelibrary.org
P
