Trishasti Shalaka Purusa Caritra Part 6

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

Page 169

MAHAVIRA'S OMNISCIENCE
129 “ These gods, summoned by us by a magic formula, before our eyes, indeed, come here to the sacrifice. See the power of a sacrifice.”
As the gods ignored the sacrificial enclosure like the house of an outcaste and went to the samavasaraņa, the people said: “The Omniscient, endowed with supernatured powers, has stopped in a samavasaraña in a garden. The gods and these townsmen, rejoicing, go to pay homage to him.” Hearing the word, “Omniscient,” like a gross insult, Indrabhūti was highly enraged and said to his people:
“ Ignoring me, alas! the people go to that heretic, like ignorant people of the desert ignoring a mango tree and going to a karira.144 Does any one here in my presence say 'Omniscient'? For no one else is courageous in the presence of the lion. If these mortals, fools, go to him, very well, let them go. But how is it these gods go ? There is some great fraud on his part. Either they are gods of the same kind as he is an omniscient ; or, the offering takes place of such a kind as he is a Yakșa. I shall take away his pride in omniscience now, while gods and men actually look on.”
After speaking like this from conceit, surrounded by five hundred disciples, he went to Vira surrounded by gods and men in the samavasaraṇa. When he had seen the Master's magnificence and such beauty and splendor, Indrabhūti stopped in wonder and thought, “ What is this?” The Teacher of the World said to him in a nectar-sweet voice, “O Gautama Indrabhūti, is there a welcome from you?”
Gautama thought: “Does he know my name and gotra? And yet, who here does not know me who am famous throughout the world? If he speaks and destroys the doubt that is in my mind by an abundance of knowledge, then he is certainly a miracle-worker.”
The Supreme Lord said to him cherishing a doubt to this
144 67. The mango tree is considered the most valuable tree in India, The karira (Capparis Aphylla) is a worthless thorny tree, 17 M