Shravakachar of Vasunandini

Author(s): Signe Kirde
Publisher: Signe Kirde

Page 80

5.4 Result of Each of the Vices
5 TRANSLATION: ŚR (57-205)
In the Jain Purāṇas weapons are associated with warriors, the Vasudevas and Prati-Vasudevas, chiefs or warriors. Their seven gems are mainly weapons (attributes designed to cause physical harm) with supernatural powers: the wheel (su-darśana-cakra), the mace (kaumudi-gadā), the sword (sau-nandana-asi), the missile (amogha-sakti), the bow (sarga-dhanu), the conch (parca-janya-sankha), and the diamond (kaustubha-mani), which corresponds to Indra's vajra. The Vasudevas and their arch-enemies are believed to take rebirth as Asuras in the grounds of earth; in due course they are reborn as non-human animals, and at last, their reincarnation in the human body leads to final emancipation.222
5.4 Result of Each of the Vices
Result of the Fault of Gambling (Fire Kettle)
143-144) "Intoxicated by the wantonness of youth in previous life, inflamed by passions such as greed, having disobeyed the words of the teacher [and parents], he just enjoyed this gambling!
Rascal! The result of this [evil deeds = gambling, etc.] has come [now] into being. That does it! Stop crying! You have to endure it! By crying you can never free yourself from the deed [= the results of the harmful thoughts and acts] you have committed in previous life!"
145-146) After having heard such words, various kinds of intense] pain come forth in the mind. While being burned by two kinds of pain it exclaims furiously:
"When I enjoyed gambling under the influence of liquor in a previous existence, what is the fault towards you, because of that you beat me violently?"
• avarāho "What is the fault towards you (= what wrong have I done to you) that you beat me?" (Prof. Balbir, p.c.). For the semantic value of apa + √ RADH: "to wrong; to offend; to fall short off" see for instance MW: p.51 and Norman 1990:43.
147-149) After this has been told [to the sentient being] it is thrown into the kindled pan by the infuriated ones. When it has been cast [into the
222
22 Cf. for the genre of Jain Puranas and the prominent characters in epic literature Jaini 1993:212ff. The disapprovement of weapons with regard to occupational injury is expressed, for instance, in the vow of anartha-danda. See Handiqui 1949:268-269; Williams 1963:123ff.; Bollée 2010a on Rk III.31, 34. For parallels outside Jainism cf. Märkandeyapurāņa XII; Sutta-nipata III.10 (Kokāliya).
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