Trishasti Shalaka Purusa Caritra Part 4

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

Page 152

ORIGIN OF THE RĀKSASAVANSA AND VĀNARAVANSA 117
She bore a son, who made the seats of his enemies shake, with a life-term of more than twelve thousand years. Leaping about on the birth-couch, very strong shaking the earth, resting on his back, with a proud red lotus of a foot, with his hand he drew a necklace made of nine rubies from a casket standing near, a necklace which was a present in the past from Indra Bhima.93 From inherent arrogance the child put the necklace around his neck and Kaikasi and her attendants were amazed. She told Ratnaśravas: “The necklace which the king of the Rākşasas gave to your ancestor, King Meghavāhana, in the past and which has been worshipped like a deity by your ancestors up to this time, which could not be lifted by others, which was made of nine rubies and guarded by a thousand Någas--this necklace has been seized by your child and put around his neck.” At once Ratnaśravas gave him the name 'Dasamukha' 94 because his face was united with the nine rubies. He related the following: "A certain sage was questioned by my father Sumālin when he had gone to Meru to pay homage to the shrines. The possessor of four kinds of knowledge said, 'Whoever shall lift your ancestral necklace, made of nine rubies, he shall be an Ardhacakrin.'' Kaikasi bore another son, indicated by the dream of a sun, named Bhānukarņa, and also called by another name, Kumbhakaiņa. Kaikasi bore a daughter, named Candraņakhā, because her nails were like the moon. She was called Sūrpanakhă by the people. After some time had passed Kaikasi again bore a son, named Bibhīşaņa, indicated by the dream of a moon. The three full brothers, full sixteen bows tall, played agreeably day by day, fearless, in play suitable for their ages at that time.
08 153. The Indra of the Rākşasas. See II, p. 165. 94 158. I.e., 'Ten-faced.'