Trishasti Shalaka Purusa Caritra Part 1

Author(s): Hemchandracharya, Helen M Johnson
Publisher: Oriental Research Institute Vadodra

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elements dried up by fasts of two, three, or more days; even on the day for breaking fast eating dried leaves, dried fruit, etc., continued to think in their hearts only of the Blessed One, and did not go to another. The Blessed One, after wandering in silence among the Aryas and non- Aryas for a year without food, reflected as follows: "Just as lamps exist on oil, as trees on water, so on food alone the bodies of living creatures exist. Food which is entirely free from forty-two faults must be taken by the ascetic at the right time in a bee-like way. Moreover, if today I do not take food, as in the days past, for the sake of my vow, what then will happen ? Other munis in the future, suffering from lack of food, will break the vow as these four thousand did.” With this thought, the Master set out to obtain alms and arrived at the city Gajapura, the ornament of a circle of cities.
In this city King Śreyānsa, the heir of King Somaprabha who was the son of Bāhubali, saw in a dream : “Meru, entirely dark, was made extremely brilliant by my sprinkling it with pitchers of water.” The merchant Subuddhi saw a thousand-rays fallen from the sun; replaced in it by Sreyânsa, then the sun too was very bright. King Somayaśas (= oprabha) saw one man completely surrounded by many enemies gain the victory with the assistance of Sreyānsa. These three told each other their dreams in the assembly and, not knowing their interpretation, went again to their own houses. Just then, as if to make apparent the meaning of the dreams, the Master entered the town Hastināpura (Gajapura) for alms. Walking with the grace of a bull, even though without food for a year, Lord Vņşabha was seen by the citizens made joyful. Getting up and running in haste, the citizens surrounded the Master as if he were a relative who had come from a foreign country.
One said, "O Blessed One, come, favor our houses. O Lord, you are seen after a long time like the springfestival.” Another said, “Since clothing, water, oil, and
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