Trishasti Shalaka Purusa Caritra Part 4

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

Page 388

CHAPTER XI
ŚRI NAMINĀTHACARITRA
Homage to Jinendra Nami, whose feet are honored by the Indras, a lordly elephant for the tree of karma, a wishing-tree for the earth. Of him we shall celebrate the very pure life for the benefit of everyone of this world and the next.
Previous incarnations (3-9) In this very Jambūdvipa in the province Bharata 208 in West Videha, there is a city Kaušāmbi, the storehouse of wealth. Its king was Siddhartha, whose commands were unbroken like Akhandala's, by whom all beggars were made to have their desires accomplished. His dignity, resoluteness, generosity, heroism, intelligence, and other virtues, too, were all remarkable, as if in rivalry with each other. Of him, who was extremely prosperous, the widely expanded wealth was for the benefit of everyone like the shade of a tree on the road. Dharma alone made her dwelling in his very pure mind constantly like a rājahansa on a lotus. One day disgusted with existence he abandoned his wealth like straw and took initiation at the feet of Muni Sudarśana. He acquired body-making karma of a tirthakrt by some of the sthānakas, observed the vow completely, died, and went to Aparājita.
His parents (10-18) Now in this Jambūdvipa in this very Bhāratakşetra there is a city Mithilā whose citizens were zealous in
208 3. See III, n. 133. In the cited cases of unorthodox cosmography where Hemacandra puts a Bharata in Videha, it is in Dhätakikhanda, but here is a historic city in a Bharata placed in Videha in Jambūdvipa. So also, p. 72.