Shraman Mahavira

Author(s): Dineshchandra Sharma
Publisher: Mitra Parishad Calcutta

Page 22

SHRAMAN MAHAV.R
cence The country rejoices and the fields are abounding in grain A child is born in such an atmosphere on the thirteenth day of moon of Chaitra, the first month of the Indian calender (March 30, 599 BC)
The Kingdom is Videh, the town Kshatriyakund Siddhartha is the fortunate father and Trishala the mother the infant is yet to be named Slavery obtained during those days The maid Priyamvada conveyed the happy news to king Siddhartha The father was beside himself with ecastasy He amply rewarded Priyamvada and released her from her life-long vassalage It might be counted as the pioneer campaign of the child to uproot slavery
Siddhartha called the officer guarding the town and said, "Favoured being ! I am blessed with a son! Arrange for festivities'
The officer proceeded to comply with the command
The jails were being emptied The captives were being restored to their families as if the harbinger of emancipation chose to explode as a maiden venture the dungeons of human captives rather than those of evils
The market places were thronged with human beings Commodities like cereals, grocery articles, butter and oil were being sold at a throwaway price as if the admirer of nonacquisition had thrown gauntlets to acquisition Highways trijunctions, crossroads of the city were being sprinkled with water as if the repository of peace foretold the millenium of happiness by mitigating the earth's heat Every turret and spire donned triumphs of his life
The entire town exhaled fragrance It presaged that the interpreter of abstinence would be famous far and wide.
The townsmen were curious to know what all this fanfare stood for. Had some mighty event taken place justifying such rejoicing ?
The veil of suspense was torn when the thrice happy