Tirthankar Mahavir

Author(s): Kumarpal Desai
Publisher: Jaybhikkhu Sahitya Trust

Page 40

reverently and praise him devotionally. Many Lords of Gods presented themselves before the tirthankara and included many different classes of gods, such as Bhavanpati, Vanavyantara, Jyotisha and Vaimanika. This great congregation of gods and goddesses rushed to Kundapura and it looked as if they vied with one another in performing their acts of worship and devotion.
Firstly, Shakra Indra circled the tirthankara and the mother Trishala three times. His heart was full of devotion and and he saluted them with great reverence. His desire was to carry the tirthankara to Mount Meru and he saught his permission. The tirthankara granted him permission and Shakra Indra's joy knew no bounds. However, how could he take the child tirthankara from the lap of his mother to Mount Meru. Would a mother give her newly born child to even the Lord of the gods? Trishala's affection for her child was well known and Shakra was aware that he would be unsuccessful if he tried to take the baby with him while Trishala was conscious. Therefore, he used his supernatural powers and induced a state of deep sleep in Trishala, known as avasvapini-nidra. Her eyes became heavy with deep sleep and as they did, Shakra gently took the child in his own lap.
There was a tide of joy in the ccean of his heart and the devotional feeling within him swelled. He desired to enjoy the unmatch pleasure of devotion to a tirthankara in solitude and he was granted this opportune moment, How could one have so much good fortune he wondered and he considered himself as the most fortunate of all beings.
Shakra, overwhelmed with the sentiment of devotion, used his paranormal power to assume different bodies and assumed five bodies at one time. With the first body, he lifted the child in his palm and with two other bodies, fanned him with chamaras. With the fourth body, he shaded the child, holding a parasol over him and with the fifth body, he led the procession, carrying a thunderbolt in his hard. By assuming five bodies, Shakra had the enviable opportunity of being involved in the thirthankara's purifying rites as well as devotionally serving him.
Gods and goddesses have inexhaustible material prosperity, all worldly comforts and luxuries and the means to sense such pleasures. Despite this, even they can experience great joy in devotional activity for a tirthankara. Those gods and goddesses, who are endowed with a spiritually wholesome attitude, find the life of material riches and sensual pleasure futile and enjoy the unique pleasure in devotion and worship to a tirthankara.