________________
ŚRI DHARMANĀTHACARITRA
139
became a god in Sahasrara with a life-term of eighteen samudras (sāgaras).
Previous birth of Purușasinha (67–71)
When sixteen vārdhis (sāgaras) of his life as a god had passed, there was a king, named Vikața, in Potanapura just here (in Bharata). He was conquered on the battle-field by King Rājasinha by the strength of his arm, like an elephant by an elephant. From shame at this defeat he gave the kingdom to his son, left, and took the vow at the feet of Atibhūti. He practiced severe penance and made a nidāna: "In another birth may I be able to destroy Rājasinha surely." With such a nidāna having been made, he died in the course of time and was born as chief-god in the second heaven with a life term of two sāgaras.
Birth of the Prativāsudeva Niśumbha (72–74)
King Räjasinha wandered for a long time in the ocean of births and became King Niśumbha in Haripura in Bharata. Black in color, forty-five bows tall, with a life of ten lacs of years, he came to have a cruel command on earth. After subduing the southern half of Bharatavarṣa with perfect ease, he became the fifth ardhacakrin, the Prativişņu.
Birth of the Balabhadra Sudarśana (75–79)
Now in the city Aśvapura in this same Bharata, there was a king named Śiva, the sole abode of happiness. He had two wives, Vijayā and Ammakā, extremely dear, like Fame and Fortune embodied. Puruṣavṛṣabha's soul fell from Sahasrara and entered Vijaya's womb, with the birth of a Bala indicated by four dreams. When the time was completed, Lady Vijaya bore a son, brilliant, like a heap of her husband's glory embodied. Śiva gave him the name Sudarśana, because of his beauty, with a great festival on an auspicious day.
Jain Education International
For Private & Personal Use Only
www.jainelibrary.org
