Tirthankar Mahavir

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

Page 43

Acharya Shri Kailassagarsun Gyanmandir
Saudharma Indra pondered over this question and he realized that the child was aware of his own doubts. Vardhamana has displayed his infinite power simply pressing the toe. Shakra Indra saluted the tirthankara with folded hands and humbly said, "O Venerable One, I doubted your poweI wondered how you , as a child, could bear the heavy weight of the water falling on your head but I was wrong. Your powers are infinite and even the mere action of pressing your toe on the mountain has caused Mt Meru to quake. Please forgive me for my offence."
The event of the mountain quake may inspire one to believe that no other tirthankara had blessed Mount Meru with the touch of their foot and so when Varshamana did so, showing his fondness, the mountain swayed with joy.
Or Shakra's command, all the Lords started to pour the sacred water on the the tirthankara and after that, Shakra himself poured holy water on him. And, so they bathed him. After they bathed him, Shakra anointed his body with frangrant substances and then worshipped him with lights, dancing in front of him. There was an atmosphere of devotion created by songs, music and dance and these celebrations continued through the night. At the end of the celebrations, Shakra lifted the child Tirthankara in his hands and began his journey back to Vardhamana's home. He reached Kshatriyakunda, he approached Trishala and gently put the child in her lap. He then left for his heavenly abode.
The fearless has no fear
King Siddhartha celebrated the auspicious occasion with great festivity. He celebrated the occasion in such a manner that poverty of the poor might disappear, debt of debtors might get completely cleared and that people would eagerly engage themselves in devotional songs and worship the Jina images.
The festivity and the auspicious occasion created a novel and unique atmosphere on earth, it was charged with the emotions of joy, devotion, amity and wonder. The farmers approached Siddhartha and said, "O Lord, we are very much puzzled. The fertility of the soil has greatly increased. We have not noticed any reason for this, for this sudden increase in fertility and we are astonished at this miracle.".
The cowherds, too, had something to report: "O Queer, nothing has changed and everything remains the same, as far as we know, yet the grass