Trishasti Shalaka Purusa Caritra Part 4

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

Page 175

140 . .. CHAPTER TWO
While Daśānana was seated in his council, delighted, a flying ascetic, named Satabāhu, arrived. Daśāsya left his lion-throne, took off his jeweled slippers, and stood to receive him, like a peacock a cloud. Rāvaņa fell at his feet, touching the ground with five parts of the body, considering him equal to a ganadhara of the Arhats. After seating the muni on the seat offered by himself, Daśagriva bowed to him and sat down on the ground. Like confidence embodied, a brother to reassurance of all the world, he gave him the blessing, 'Dharmalābha, '114, the mother of good fortune. The best of munis, questioned by Rāvana with folded hands about the reason for his coming, replied with the harmless speech:
"I am Satabāhu. I was king of Māhismati. I am afraid of this living in worldly existence, like a tiger afraid of fire. I bestowed my kingdom on my son, Sahasrakiraņa, and resorted to the vow which resembles a chariot on the road to emancipation."
When this was half-spoken, Daśagrīva said, his head bowed: "Is he your reverence's powerful son ?" The muni said, “Yes," and Daśānana said:
"I came here to the river-bank in course of an expedition of conquest. Camp was made on that bank and, as I had made worship of the Jinas with blooming lotuses, I became absorbed in that, my mind concentrated on one object. When the pūjā was submerged by water which he caused to overflow, impure from his bathing, I did this in anger. I think he, noble, did that in ignorance. Why would your son show any disrespect at all to the Arhats?"
Saying this, Daśānana bowed and brought Sahasrânsu, and he bowed to his father, the muni, his face bowed in shame. Rāvaņa said to him : "Henceforth, you are my brother. Muni Satabāhu is my father as well as yours. Go, rule your own kingdom. Take additional territory,
· 114 343. May you obtain dharma.'