________________
81
Triprispha Kumāra. He is the best among all powerful persona in this Bharata Ksétra, and he is born the First Vasudeva as a bidden treasure of very illustrious coincidences arising from meritorious deeds done during his previous lives."
On hearing this, thousands of kings baving abandoned all their weapons, with bewildered eyes, and Illumating the nails of his feet by the tips of their jewelled diadems wavering with the intense desire of being the first, and with their hands folded like a cavity in front of their foreheads, prostrated before Tripristha Kumāra in a way that the five limbs. of their bodies (3 e., head, two hands, and two feet ) touched the ground, and requested him thus :--"O Lord! You forgive us, now, for all the offences we have committed by not knowing what is right and what is wrong on account of our dependence on other's will, and oblige us with the favour of serving your lotus-like feet. We have no other master except you."
Tripriştha Kumara sald:- "O Kings! Why do you talk thus! What is your fault in this ! Such is always the case with dependents. Leave aside, therefore, your fear from me. You enjoy your individual kingdoms with cessation of fear and calamity. By remaining under the shadow of my chatra ( Royal umbrella ), even the Indra (king of gods) will aot defeat you"
At that time, on seeing the kings attending in the service of Tripristha Kumāra, and having ascertained about the death of Asvagriva, the royal princesses went to the spot
here Asvagriva was lying dead. Besmeared with the mud mixed with the blood coming out from the arteries of his divided neck, he seemed to be anointed as if with a paste of red-sandal on his body, provided as if with an umbrella obstructing the rays of the Sun by the hovering above him of hungry birds greedy for his flesh, and he seemed to be sitting as if in his royal assembly on account of the chief officers of his state lying dead on the ground around him. On seeing this unexpected and extremely distressing condition of Prati
Jain Education International
For Private & Personal Use Only
www.jainelibrary.org