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........ MAHĀVĪRA'S WANDERING AS AN ASCETIC 109 own merit you became the lord of such as us. For power is dependent on merit. So do not show envy of him. A test of power made by you against him would lead to ridicule, like one on clouds by a śarabha to a fall. So calm down, stay comfortably, enjoy pleasures at ease, see numerous amusements, served by us and others.”
Čamara said to them: “ If you are afraid of him, then stay right here. I shall go alone to fight him. Either he or I should be lord of gods and asuras, since two swords can not be in one scabbard at the same time.”
After making this loud boasting, on the point of jumping up into the sky, he had a little discernment arise and again thought: “ Sakra will be as powerful as these Sāmānikas have described him. They are not enemies of mine. The path of action is rough. If by chance I should be defeated, to what refuge from him extremely strong shall I go then?” After these reflecti
ctions, he used clairvoyance and saw Vira Svāmin standing in statuesque posture in the city Sursumāra. After deciding that Śrī Vira would afford a refuge, Asura Camara got up and went to the armory named Tumbālaya. There he took an iron club that was like another arm of Death and rapidly threw it up and sideways two or three times. Observed lovingly by the Asura-women saying, “ He is a hero,” encouraged by the Bhuvanapatis who wanted a show, regarded indifferently by his own Sāmānika-gods, saying, “ He is stupid,” Asura Camara left the city Camaracañcā. At once he resorted to Sri Vira, laid aside the club, circumambulated him three times, bowed, and announced:
“ By your power, Blessed One, I shall conquer Sakra who is hard to conquer. He annoys me extremely, placed over my head."
After saying this, he took up the club, approached the northeast, and at once made his own figure a hundred thousand yojanas long. Like the sky embodied, with a huge body dark colored, like a living Mt. Añjana in the continent Nandīśvara, with a face terrifying from sawlike fangs, with black wavy
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