Trishasti Shalaka Purusa Caritra Part 4

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

Page 367

332
CHAPTER NINE In the meantime Jayabhūşaņa, son of King Harivikrama, living in the north row of Vaitāļhya, who had eight hundred wives, saw his wife Kiranamaņdalā asleep with his maternal uncle's son, Hemaśikha. He banished (her) and took the vow himself at that time. She died and was born a Räksasī, Vidyuddanştrā. At that time Jayabhūsaņa came to the suburbs of Ayodhyā and stood in pratimā and Vidyuddanştrā tormented him. His omniscience developed and now the gods, Sunāsīra and others, came with the intention of celebrating his festival.
Having seen this (ditch) of Sītā's, the gods explained to Sakra, "Sitä is going to enter the fire because of false censure of the people.” Hari ordered the infantry-general to attend Sītä and he himself held the sage's omnisciencefestival. At Räma's command the servants made the ditch blaze with sandal wood on all sides, so that it was hard on the eyes to look at it. When Rāma had seen it terrible with flames, he thought in his heart: "Alas! What is this very difficult thing now impending! She, a virtuous wife, will surely enter the fire unhesitatingly. Verily the course of an ordeal, like destiny, is difficult. Her exile with me, the kidnaping by Rāvaņa, again the abandonment by me, and this also have been done by
me."
While Rāma was reflecting thus, Sītā stood near the fire, recalled the Omniscient, and made a truthdeclaration: "O guardians of the universe and all the people, listen. If I desired any man except Räma, may this fire burn me. Otherwise, may it have a gentle touch like water.” Saying this, recalling the salutation to the Five, she gave a leap into the fire.
When she entered it, the fire was extinguished quickly and the ditch filled with clear water became a tank. Sītã was seated on a lion-throne on a lotus on top of the water, like Padmā, by the power of the gods, delighted by her character of a virtuous wife. The water looked like the water of the ocean with a whirlpool making