Trishasti Shalaka Purusa Caritra Part 6

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

Page 365

OMNISCIENCE OF MAHAVIRA
325 The King of Campā had the ditch dug, filled with acaciacharcoal, covered over on top, in the road by which they came. Then in the night Halla and Vihalla, mounted on the elephant Secanaka, thinking themselves conquerors, came to attack. When Secanaka came near the charcoalditch, discerning it from the furrow, he stopped, paying no attention to the goad. Then the elephant was abused by Halla and Vihalla: “ You are an animal, you are ungrateful, since you have become afraid of fighting. Going to a strange country and abandonment of relatives were made for your sake. Arya Cetaka was thrown into this calamity for you. Better a dog had been nourished, well-disposed, that is always devoted to its master, than you who are indifferent to work of ours from love of life.”
Abused in this way, the elephant, thinking himself devoted, quickly made the princes dismount from his back by force. The elephant himself jumped into the ditch of charcoal, died at once, and was born in the first hell. The princes thought: “ Alas! Alas! What have we done! It is evident that we are animals, but Secanaka is not an animal. For whose sake the noble Arya has been hurled into calamity for a long time, after leading him to death ourselves, we evil-minded, are still alive. Like pledges of destruction for the great army of Aryas, we have caused destruction in vain. A brother has been led to hostility. So it is not fitting for us to live now. Henceforth, if we live, it will be as disciples of the Arhat, Vira Svāmin, not otherwise.” Then, having become ascetics in mind, they were led by the messenger-deity and quickly took the vow at Sri Vira's feet. Then Aśokacandra (Kūņika) was not able to take Vaiśāli, though Halla and Vihalla had taken the vow. Such being the case, Campā's king made such a vow--for the valor of the powerful increases greatly from a vow: “If I do not dig up that city with a plough hitched to a donkey, then I shall die by jumping off a precipice or entering a fire.” After he had made this promise, unable to break down Vaiśālī, Kūnika