Trishasti Shalaka Purusa Caritra Part 2

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

Page 251

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CHAPTER ONE
The All-knowing was always in his mind, like a god in a temple ; praise of the qualities of the All-knowing was always in his speech as well as in the scriptures. He bent his head to gods, Tīrthankaras, teachers, and to good sādhus; every one else bowed to him. By freedom from painful and evil meditation, 868 by study of the scriptures, by worship of the Jinas, he attained the highest fruit of mind, speech, body. In him the twelve-fold layman's dharma 370 was always very firm, like indigo-dye in cloth. Tust as he, noble-minded, was watchful over the twelvefold circle of kings, 871 so he was watchful over layman's dharma. Pure-minded, he sowed money, the seeds of the tree of dharma, constantly in the seven fields, 372 as was suitable. A petitioner never went away empty-handed from him, the sole refuge of the poor and lordless, alone compassionate like a cloud from the ocean. He rained wealth on beggars, like a cloud water; only he, free from egotism, did not thunder at all. While he, an axe for the destruction of thorns, a kalpa-tree of gifts, was ruling the earth, no one was miserable.
Description of a famine (20–48) At one time, while he was king, there was a terrible famine. Fate is hard to overcome. From the failure of the heavens to turn black and from the lack of clouds the rainy season proved to be as cruel as another hot season. The southwest winds blew like the winds at the end of the world, drying up all the water, raging in uprooting the trees. The clouds in the sky were like crows' bellies. The sun appeared to have brilliance equal to that of a cymbal. 378
889 13. See I, n. 8. 870 14. See I, pp. 207 f. 871 15. See I, n. 208.
87% 16. Statues of the Jinas, shrines of the Jinas, Jain Scriptures, and the fourfold congregation. Rajendra, s.v. sattakhetti.
378 23. I.e., it is made of white metal.