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24. BHARATACAKRAVARTÍ CARITRA
In the ancient times, when Bharata was the king of the city of Vinita, it so happened that a divine cakra, a bright disc, appeared in the sky and the guard on duty was extremely delighted to see the divine sign as it travelled towards the armoury of the king. The guard humbly bowed to the cakra and rushed inside the palace to acquaint the king of its appearance. The king also expressed his surprise and followed the guard to the armoury and when he saw it, he too offered his worshipful salutation to the disc. He was extremely pleased with the guard who brought him the news and gave away all the jewellery that he was wearing on his person except of course his crown.
The king ordered eight days of celebrations in honour of the divine sign. When they were over, the Cakra moved out of the armoury and placed itself in the sky where it was surrounded by one thousand Yaksasas. Finally it moved in the eastern direction towards Magadha tirtha.
The king also decided to follow the cakra as it proceeded towards Māgadha tirtha. He got his four-fold army prepared for the journey and led it himself mounting on his own excellent elephant (ābhisekya hasti-ratna) which was beautifully decorated. He camped outside the city of Magadha tirtha and ordered his men to construct a house looking like a cottage where Jain householders stay when they observe a religious fast for varying periods of time. Such a house called pausadhas ālā was made ready for the king in which he lived for three days observing afast without water called astamabhakta which is usually undertaken to propitiate the god
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