________________
THE HYMN
319
8.
6. As asylum amongst the charities,
Ineffable word amongst the truths, Continence amongst the observancesa
So is Mahavira superb amongst the monks? 7. As Nirwan--sponsoring-dharma amongst the dharmas,
So is Mahavira superb amongst the sages He is par excel The Lord had ridden himself of all the spiritual vicesWrath, Vanity, Maya and avarice and he became Arhat He committed no sin nor became instrumental in any act of sin Ninka Deoputra was a devotee of Lord Mahavira. He compared Lord Mahavira with Lord Buddha in his
hymn thus 9. The wise monk who shunned sin,
Remaining covered (with moral covering) day and night Renouncing the object of his vision, How could there be an iota of sin in him 74 Glory be to Lord Mahavira who knew all the species of creatures, teacher of the world, a source of happiness to the universe, Master of the universe, universal
friend and the primal ancestors 11. Glory be to saint Mahavira, the source of the word,
supreme tirthankara, the teacher of the world Glory be to Lord Mahavira in whose mirror of enlightenment are reflected vividly the terrestrial and the extra-terrestrial, and whose complexion resembles the interior of a blooming lotus and burnished gold?,
10.
12
1 Ibid 1/6/23 2 Ibid 1/6/24 3 Ibid 1/6/26 4 'Sanyuktanikaya', pt Ip 65 5 'Nandigatha by Devavachaka 6 lbid pt 2 7 'Jayadhawala, 3 preface by Acharya Virasena
