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7. AUSPICIOUS DREAMS.1
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When the Venerable Lord Mahavira descended into the womb of Devanandå, she saw fourteen dreams. When he was transferred by Hariņega meşin to the womb Ksatriyāṇi Trišală, she saw the same set of fourteen dreams. : Whenever a Tirthankara descends from one of the heavens into the womb of his Mother she sees fourteen dreams, according to the Svetambara Jaina tradi. tions. According to Digambara traditions, however, the Mother of every Jina sees sixteen auspicious dreams at this moment.
The fourteen dreams seen by Trisalā, are described in detail in the Kalpasūtra :-(1) A white elephant, large and beautiful, with four tusks and streaming with ichor. (2) A white bull surrounded by a diffusion of light, with a charming hump and horns greased at tips. (3) A sportive lion, whiter than pearls and beautiful, with flapping tail and protruding tongue. (4) The Goddess Sri, four. armed and carrying the lotuses adorned with various ornaments, lustrated by two celestial elephants (5) A garland of various flowers. (6) The Moon-the full-moon. (7) The red Sun. (8) A wondrous, beautiful banner, fastened to a golden staff, with a lion at the top. (9) A full-vase filled with water and lotuses, the abode of Fortune. ( 10 ) A large lake full of lotuses, swarming with bees and aquatic birds sitting beside it. (11) The Ocean of Milk, with agitated waters and full of aquatic animals. (12) The celestial palace ( devavimāna ), of numer. ous columns, hung with garlands, decorated with pictures or sculptures. (13) The jewel beap-of all sorts of jewels. (14) A smokeless fire, with flame in constant moticn.
1 Belief in auspicious dreams is very old in India, cf. the Chandogya Upa. V.2.7-8__" fa fai É a fama i da :
यदा कर्मसु काम्येषु स्त्रियं स्वप्नेषु पश्यति ।
समृद्धिं तत्र जानीयात्तस्मिन्स्वप्ननिदर्शने ॥ Such belief dates from pre-Mahāvira epochs and the Nimitta-pāțhakās are said to have been called by Siddhartha to interpret the dreams seen by Triśālā, the mother of Malavira. Nimittasāstra was very popular with the Ajivikas from whom Kālakācārya mastered it in the rst century B.C. The Angavijjā (c. 600 - A. D.) is a very inportant early Jaina text on Nimitta (based possibly on earlier texts) which is being recently edited by Muni Shri Punyavijaya.
? Kalpa-Sūtra, sū. 3; Jacobi's transl. (SBE), p. 219. * Kalpa-Süra, sū. 31-46; Jacobi, op. cit., 229-238.
For a discussion on and interpretation of some of these prognostic dreams, see, Coomaraswamy, The Conqueror's life in Jaina Paintings J.I.S.O.A., Vol. III, No. 2, (Dec, 1935), pp. 125-144.
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