Trishasti Shalaka Purusa Caritra Part 6

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

Page 383

ŚRI MAHĀVIRA'S NIRVĀŅA
343 no new tax. The kings were devoted to the Arhats and the followers of false doctrine were blamed. Ten marvels took place, the attacks, et cetera.257
Henceforth in duhşamā, the people with minds whose righteousness has been stolen by passions will be without bounds, like an excessively watery field. As the time will pass, so the people, their understanding confused by false doctrine, will be devoid of non-violence, et cetera. Villages will be like cemeteries; towns like the world of the dead; householders like slaves; kings equal to rods of Yama. Greedy kings will take money from their own servants; the servants from the people. The law of fishes will prevail.
The ones who were lowest will be in the middle; and the ones who were in the middle will be the lowest, in turn. Kingdoms will be unsteady, like boats with loose sails. Thieves will oppress the earth by thievery and kings by taxes. Guilds will be absorbed in the acquisition of wealth and the superintendents greedy for bribes. People, devoted solely to their own interests, will oppress their own people, turned away from others' interests, devoid of truth, shame, and courtesy. Disciples will not honor teachers; and they, indeed, will not give the disciples any instruction at all in scriptural knowledge. Then the pupil living in the house of the teacher will gradually pass away. There will be sluggish intellect in dharma and the earth will be over-burdened with many creatures.
The gods will not appear in person, sons will not honor parents; daughters-in-law will be like serpents; mothers-in-law equal to the night at the end of the world, on the other hand. Women of good family, devoid of shame, will practice courtesanship by contortions of the eyes, smiles, chatter, and other coquetries. There will be a decrease in laymen and laywomen, destruction of fourfold dharma, no invitations to sādhus and sadhvis even on festival days. There will be
237 129. See above, p. 214 f.