Trishasti Shalaka Purusa Caritra Part 6

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

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CHAPTER FOUR of Brāhman Svātidatta. Two Yakşas, Purņabhadra and Māņibhadra, came there with great magnificence night after night and worshipped the Lord. Svātidatta reflected, “Does this holy man know something, that the gods worship him every night?” So thinking and wishing to find out, he went and asked the Lord, “What is the soul in the whole body, the head and other parts, called?” The Master explained, “ The ego is considered to be the soul.” Svātidatta said, “ What is it? Destroy doubt.” The Blessed Mahāvīra answered: “Sir Brāhman, it is very fine, divided by head, hands, et cetera.” The Brāhman Svātidatta said, “ Explain what ‘fine’ is.” The Lord said, “What can not be grasped by the senses.” The Brāhman knew by this questioning that the Lord knew the truth and worshipped him with devotion, and he was enlightened by the Lord thinking, “ He is capable of emancipation.”
At the end of the rainy season, the Master went to the village Jşmbhaka. There Sakra put on a dramatic performance and said, “ Teacher of the World, in a few days from today, your brilliant omniscience will arise here.” Saying this, Sunāsira bowed to Vira and went to heaven. Sri Vira went to the village Mendhakagrāma. Indra Camara came there, paid homage to the Blessed One, enquired whether he had had a good vihāra, and went to his own house.
The Blessed One went to the village named Şaņmāni and stood outside in kāyotsarga, absorbed in meditation. At that time the feeling-karma, which was acquired in the Lord's incarnation as Vişņu,133 resulting from the hot tin poured into the chamberlain's ears, matured. The chamberlain's soul had become a cowherd there. He turned loose the bulls in the Master's presence and went away to milk the cows, et cetera. The bulls, roaming at will, entered the forest. In a moment the cowherd came and, not seeing the bulls, said to the Lord: “Devārya, where are my bulls ? Why do you not speak,
133 619. I. e., Triprstha. See III, p. 61.