Canto 11 - The further journey of Vastupala and his carvan

[Full title: English translation of the Vasantavilasa, Canto 11: The further journey of Vastupala and his carvan]

[The eleventh Canto describes the further journey of Vastupala and his carvan of pilgrims. Then he went to Prabhasatirtha and worshipped Somesvara, the presiding deity. Then he worshipped Candraprabha, the Tirthankara and proceded towards Mount Raivataka. Having reached the foot of the mountain, he made a halt to take rest] Then at the beating of the drums inviting the feaduatory forces, Minister Vastupala started in the direction of Prabhasatirtha to offer worship to the presiding deity. Having heard the sound of the drums, the pilgrimcaravan readied itself for the journey. Saddles were placed on the horses. They were held by drivers holding reins. Such horses began to hop as if to conquer the divine horse of God Indra. 158 So too elephants and chariots also started on the journey. The foot soliders with bristling swords joined them. Entire caravan of pilgrims journeyed towards Somatirtha. There were also camels and even though they were overbumeded, heavy burden was placed on them. Because, none but fools abandon adventurous deeds. The faster camels were rising up immediately after their riders sat 159 upon their backs and were running on their way.

190 When riders had ascended their respective horses, elephants and chariots, Minister Vastupala ascended his tall horse as Lord Visnu ascends his vehicle Garuda. Then the Kalpa-orksa (desire-yielding tree) which had been always conqured by him by his charity, arrived their in the form of a parasol giving him cool shade. 160 Undergoing a long path, Minister Vastupala reached the holy city presided over by Lord Somanatha. 161 In front of the city, there was flowing the river Sarasvati, which was meeting there, the ocean. The waves rising high due to their meeting were causing white foam, which was also rising high. It appeared as if white chowries were being waved. As the ocean was roaring throughout day and night, it appeared as if it is futile to beat drums before Lord Somesvara three times a day. There were many pilgrims coming to the holy place and going out of it. They were all becomeing pleased on having seen their most desired place. People who had come there to worship Lord Somesvara after suffering all kinds of troubles, were securing the fruit of their pilgrimage on seeing the faces of ladies of the city. 162 In the gardens of the holy city all the servants were given resting houses. Then the Great Minister together with feaudatory rulers went to bathe in the holy Priyamela-Tirtha. 163 That was the confluence of Sarasvati and the ocean. When Vastupala reached the holy place, the ocean embraced him roaring as if

191 immensely pleased, smiling through its white foam and with hands in the form of its waves. 164 There he distributed jewels to Brahmins and it appeared as if he was Ratnakara (ocean - treasure of jewels) incarnate. 165 Then he entered the city. The ladies of the city heard the sound of drum heralding his arrival. They became curious to see him and became very much confused. One lady put the necklace on the buttocks; another placed the girdle in the neck; third one wore the ear-ornament on the fore-arm; fourth one put the bracelet in the ear. Some one wore her blouse on only one arm and came to the window showing her one breast open, as if she was half man and half woman. Some lady was feeding her child; then itself she heard the sound of the drums. She left the food of the child to the waiting cat and went to the terrace to see Vastupala.166 One lady was seeing him through her window. She began to shoot with fury and anger arrows of side-long glances through the bow of her raised eye-brow saying: "Cupid is killing me; this is his Kinsman." Another lady said: "This Vasanta (Vastupala) has entered my heart; let him not go out in any way". Thus saying she built a fence around her body formed of thorns in the form of raised hair. 167 Those ladies who had crowded the windows of their houses to see Vastupala were looking like heavenly damsels who had arrived to see him. Thus being seen by the ladies of the city, Vastupala reached the temple of

192 Somesvara. 168 He enterd the temple and bowed down to the deity. He offerd worship of all types to Somesvara. Even he offered to Somesvara gold, silver, jewels and other precious metals equal to his own weight and then ditributed wealth in abundance to Brahamins and worthy recepients. 169 Then with equal devotion he worshipped Candraprabha, the Tirthankara. Thereafter he proceded towards Raivataka mountain. The dust which rose due to treading of the feet of his soldiers coverd the sky as if it had fallen from Indra's thunderbolt. Then as if it was burnt down by the burning heat of the Sun it fell on the waters of the ocean. 170 Speedily the caravan of pilgrims covered the distance to the mountain and reached the land at the foot of the mountain. The neighing of the horses echoed in the caves of the mountain and it appeared as if it uttered the words of welcome to Minister Vastupala and fellow-pilgrims. 171 All the pilgrims made a halt there at the foot of Mount Raivataka.

Footnotes for Canto 11:

prayanadakkaninadopahutasamantavargo'yamanargalasrih | prabhasatirthadhipatim culukyamantri namaskartumatha pratasthe || 1 || dhakkam nadantim tarasa nisamya rasatirekam tumulam vitanvan | samam samantadapi sanghalokah prayanakaya praguno babhuva || 2 || paryanitah svarnakhalinavantah kasakaraih sadibhiradarena | dhrtastadanim divamutpatantasturangama jetumivaindramavam || 3 || akrndinapapyupari prakamam bhara nyadhiyanta marupriyanam | mudhah mudha sahasamutsrjanti tadanyatha naiva yadasti bhavi || 17 || krmelakanam nivahatsusighramutthaya dirghakramamuddhiravi | arudhamatresvadhiprsthadesesvathostrapalesu palayate sma || 18 || uccairathoccaihsravasam yathendrasturangarajam sacivaikarajah | paryanitam ratnakhalinamadhyaruroha narayanavatsavatarksyam || 23 ||

161) 162) 163) 164) 253 sadaiva danakramavikramena vinirjitah kalpatarustadanim | sacchayamayuradalatapatranibhena tam sevitumajagama || 24 | | rangatturangaksatabhumigolaprenkholadhulidhavalikrtasah | kaiscitprayanaih sacivadhinathah srisomanathasya puram jagama || 32 | sarasvativaridhivicihastasancaritairyasya purah purasya | parasparaslesavibhedavadbhiscamaryamacaryata phenakutaih || 33 || tirasphutannira kadambakena bahih sada garjati yatra vardom | vrthaiva somesapinakino'gre trirdhupavelapatahaprapancah || 34 || nirgaccadagaccadane karupasomesayatralasamanalokam | drstam tadistam nanu yena tena prabhutadesa'pi vilokita bhuh || 35 || somesamaraddhamupagatena janena nanavidhakastabhaja | vilokya paurivadanani turnam yatraiva yatraphalamapyate tat || 36 | | purasya tasyopavanisu bhrtyaih pradiyamanesu nivasakesu | snanaya samanta janena sakam mantrisvaro'gapriyamelatarthe || 38 || tam tiragam niranidhih pramodasaliva garjanvihasamsca phenaih | kallo lahastai ravilolacittam manatrisvaram mitramivalilinga || 41 ||

254 165) 166) 167) 168) tatra dvijebhyah sacivaikaralam ranaistatha harsaparo vavarsa | yatha yatha taimravrthakarasriratnakaro murta iva pratitah || 42 || tatra ksane sambhrtabhuribheribhanka ramakarnya purangananam | vasantaviksatrsiteksananamevamvidham cestitamavirasa || 45 || autsukyato haralatam nitambe nivesya kanthe rasanam ca kacit | tadankamadhaya kalacikayam karne punah kankanamuccakara || 46 || kacittatha kancukamekabahi nivesya nilam gajacarmalilam | sandrsyamanaikakucarddhanarisvaratvamuhe 'dhigata gavaksam || 47 || kacittadanim kila bhojayanti sisum svamakarnitaturyanada | hitva tadasanna bidalamekam krtva katire grhamaruroha || 48 || bhrucapamutksipya kataksavanairvatayanastha sacivam jaghana | mam hanti kamastadayam sanabhistasyeti rosadiva kapi yosa || 51 || asau pravisto hrdi me vasanto nihsrtya ma yatu kathancanapi | itiva kacidvrtimuccakara romancakutotkatakantakaughaih || 52 || naryo babhuh sphatikakuttimagra suvarnavatayanasannivistah | akasamargena vasantaviksagata iva svarvanita vimanaih || 58 ||

169) 170) 171) rupasthitadhyanaparabhirevam nirupyamanah purakaminibhih | srisomanathasya pinakapaneh prasadamasadayati sma mantri || 56 || sri somanathaya suvarnarupyakuppasvarupah sacivesvarena | tulapumamsi bahuso'tulenadayanta vismapitavisvalokah | | 71 | sa danapatresu sadanavasrih sridanavadvesisamanavesah | danam nidanam satatotsavanam dadau sadaucityavivecanena || 72 || satranjayasvamisamanabhaktya candraprabham tirthavibhum tatha tam | mantri namaskrtya cacala tasmadutkantito raivatadaivataya || 73 || rajastada sainyapadabhighatadvinduprapatadiva kham prapede | tatopi santaptamivarkatapamarena varinyudadheh papata || 74 || rathasdhamattebhavati vyatatalanghyadhvabhaga gatilaghavena | upatyakayamatha raivatadreriyaya sena sacivesvarasya ||78 || sainyaya tasmai samupagataya tadasvahesapratisaddhavesa | agiyata svagatagirivocairguhamukhe raivataparvatena || 76 || 255