Trishasti Shalaka Purusa Caritra Part 6

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

Page 65

CHAPTER II MAHĀVIRA'S BIRTH AND MENDICANCY
His parents (1-28) Now in this Jambūdvipa in the division Bharata there is a Brāhman hamlet, named Brāhmaṇakundagrāma. A Brāhman, Rşabhadatta of the Kauņālasa family, and his wife, Devänandā of the Jālandhara family, lived there.
Nandana fell and descended into her womb on the sixth day of the bright half of Āsādha, the moon being in the constellation Hastottara. Devānandā, sleeping comfortably, saw fourteen great dreams which she related to her husband at daybreak. He considered:
“ Beyond a doubt these dreams indicate that you will have a son, learned in the four Vedas, possessing the highest nature.”
After the Lord had entered Devānandā's womb, great wealth came to the Brāhman, just as if a wishing-tree had come. When eighty-two days had passed after the ord had entered her womb, the lion-throne of the Lord of Saudharmakalpa trembled. Knowing by clairvoyance that the Lord had entered Devānandā's womb, Sakra rose from the lion-throne, bowed, and reflected :
“The Arhats, teachers of three worlds, are never born in an insignificant family, nor in a poor family, nor in a family that subsists on alms. Rather, they are born in warrior-lines, 59 Ikşvāku, et cetera, man-lions, like pearls originating in pearloysters, et cetera. It is not suitable for the Lord's birth to have fallen into a low family. Yet even Arhats are not able to change strong karma. The low-family-karma, which was acquired by the Lord showing family-pride in the Mariciincarnation, has now matured. We always have authority to
59 10. The vansa, bamboo, is also considered a source of pearls. Cf. I, n. 314, 4M