Trishasti Shalaka Purusa Caritra Part 3

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

Page 59

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CHAPTER ONE
In due time Svayamprabhā attained youth, like a place in the forest the enchanting wealth of spring. With her moon-face she looked like the full moon incarnate and with the blackness of her abundant hair she looked like amāvāsyā 39 embodied. Her eyes which exterided to her ears were like lotus ear-ornaments; her ears were like banks of the spreading pools of the eyes. With red petals in the form of hands, feet, and lips she looked like a creeper with blossoms; and she was beautiful with high breasts like pleasure-mountains of Sri. Her navel looked like a whirlpool in the river of loveliness and her broad hips were like an Antarādvīpa.40 Among the women of the gods, asuras, and Vidyādharas there was no duplicate of her—the treasury of the beauty of the body.
Then two flying ascetics, Abhinandana and Jagannandana, wandering through the air, came to that city. With great magnificence, like one who has obtained another incarnation of the goddess Śrī, Svayamprabhā went and paid homage to the excellent munis. After hearing their instruction, an elixir of nectar for the ears, she adopted right-belief firm as the color of indigo. In their presence she assented completely to lay-duties. For pure souls are not in the least negligent, knowingly. Then the excellent munis went elsewhere to wander.
One day she undertook a fast on a moon-day.41 On the next day, wishing to break her fast, after she had worshipped, et cetera, the Lord Jina, she brought the statue's bath-water 42 and handed it to her father. The Vidyadhara-king, at once tender from delight, put the bath-water on his head and Svayamprabhā on his lap. Seeing that she was grown, the king became anxious in
89 422. See I, n. 59. 40 425. See II, p. 119. 41 431. See I, n. 270.
42. 432. Sesā. But only the water in which an idol has been bathed, of all the offerings, may be accepted by reputable persons.