Trishasti Shalaka Purusa Caritra Part 6

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

Page 330

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CHAPTER ELEVEN
the supreme lord. Therefore, doubtless an image of the Arhat, and no one else, is here. It does not give a sight of itself from the repetition of the names of Brahmā and other gods. I myself will show the statue of the Lord Arhat by repetition of his name. O people, behold the wonder.' Prabhāvati rubbed the box with an ointment made of five ingredients, threw handfuls of flowers on it, bowed, and said, “May the Arhat, free from love, hate, and delusion, attended by the eight miraculous appearances, god of gods, omniscient, grant me a sight of himself.
When the queen said this, the box containing the image burst open voluntarily, like a lotus-bud at dawn. Within was seen the sandal-wood image made by the god, with unwithered wreath, complete with every limb.223 So there was a demonstration beyond measure of the doctrine of the Arhat. Prabhāvati bowed to the image and chanted a hymn of praise: ‘O Teacher of the World, having the appearance of the moon, knowing all things, free from rebirth, Arhat, delight of all bhavyas, thought-gem of the universe, hail !' After she had honored the sea-trader like a relative, Prabhāvati conducted the statue to the women's quarters and held a festival. Prabhāvati had a shrine made, set up the statue there, and made a pūjā together with a bath at dawn, noon, and sunset.
One day after she had worshipped the image with joy, Prabhāvati together with her husband gave a faultless concert. The king played the lute with singing accompanied by collections of tones, with clear vyañjanadhātus, with clear notes, with clear melodies. The queen, delighted, danced the lāsya together with the tāņdava,224 with distinct angahāras and
223 400. This is the "old" statue which must be kept distinct from the one substituted by Pradyota, which was dug up by Kumärapāla in Chapter XII.
224 407. Lāsya is a women's dance; tāņdava is a men's dance with violent movements, usually applied to the dance of Siva and his votaries. I do not understand why Prabhāvati would dance the tāndava.