Part 9 - Śakrendra withdraws his thunder-bolt

At that time, it occured to Śakra, the Indra of the gods, their king as follows:

Camara, the Indra of the Asuras, their king, does not have the strength, capacity and ability to come up, on his own initiative, as high up as the Saudharma-kalpa, without the support of some Jina, or of some caitya dedicated to a Jina, or of some monk or some advanced soul. And if it be so that Camara, the Indra of the Asuras, their king, could net have come up,... till Saudharma-kalpa, on his own initiative, without the support of. some Jina, or of some caitya dedicated to a Jina, or of some monk or advanced soul, then, the thunder-blot hurled by me will cause great trouble to such a Jina or to such a monk or such an advanced soul.

So he saw through his avadhi knowledge, and having seen in this way, be observed my neighbourhood and at once burst out:

Alas! What have I done? I am undone!

So saying, with excellent,... till divine speed, he rushed out behind the thunder-bolt, and passing through the heart of innumerable isles and seas in the sub-human world,... till arrived beneath the excellent aśoka tree, to my proximity; and as the thunder-bolt was at a distance of four fingers from me, he pounced upon it. And believe it, Gautama, he pounced upon it with such a terrible force that the air in his fist blew away my hairs. Then Śakra, the Indra of the gods, their king, withdrew the thunder-bolt, moved round me thrice, and paid me homage and obeisance; and having paid me homage and obeisance, he submitted as follows:

Bhante! Having taken shelter with thee, Camara, the Indra of the Asuras, their king, had come to destroy my grandeur. So, by being angry with him, I hurled my thunderbolt to kill him. But after I had done so, I thought that surely Camara, the Indra of the Asuras, their king,... till saw through my avadhi knowledge, and beheld thee, and then burst forth these words through my lips: ‘Alas! What have I done? I am undone!’ And thereon I rushed forth with excellent (divine speed)... till I arrived unto thee, the beloved of the gods, and (good luck prevailing,) could withhold my thunder-bolt at a distance of four fingers from thee. So I have come here, I have moved myself to this place, I have arrived here, I have reached here, to withhold my thunder-bolt.

Bhante! For my fault, I beg to be forgiven by thee. Oh beloved of the gods! Forgive me. Oh beloved of the gods! It behoves thy gracious goodness to pardon me. You are noble enough to do so. I assure you, I will never repeat such a conduct.

So saying, he paid me homage and obeisance; and having paid me homage and obeisance, he moved, to the north-east, and then thumped on the ground thrice with his left leg, and said the following words to Camara, the Indra of the Asuras, their king:

Oh Camara, the Indra of the Asuras, their king! Saved is your life to-day by the grace of Śramaṇa Bhagavān Mahāvīra. Now, entertain no fear from me.

So saying, he went away in the direction from which he had emerged.

Notes (based on commentary of Abhayadeva Sūri):

(There is no commentary available for this section).