Part 2 - Life of Mahābala

In that period at that time there was a city named Hastināpura. Description. There was a garden named Sahasrāmravana. Description. In that city there was a king named Bala. Description. He had a queen named Prabhāvatī. Her hands and feet were soft etc. Description. The chamber of the queen, in its interior was decorated with frescoes, in the exterior was white-washed, clean and shining. The ceiling of the chamber was depicted with the paintings, the floor perfectly level and well-marked, the darkness of the chamber was dispelled by jewels and precious stones decorated with heaps of pleasant, fragrant and fresh flowers of multifarious colours and delighted by the curling, scented fumes burning of fine kundurukka and turuṣka, as if the chamber had been turned into a pot of scented incense. In that chamber was a couch having a mattress of a full length, with pillows at head and foot, elevated at the two ends, with hollow in the middle, soft like sand on the bank of the Gaṅgā, covered with a sheet of ornamental linen, with a well-worked towel to wrap, covered with red mosquito curtains, delightful to the touch like fur, cotton or butter besprinkled with fine and scented flowers and powder. On such a couch lay queen Prabhāvatī, half asleep and half awake and at the confluence of the prior and posterior halves of the night she dreamt the following noble, beautiful, blissful, blessed, auspicious and fortunate great dream and woke up.

In her dream she saw a good-looking delightful, moonlike and jovial lion jumping from the sky towards her face with his body complexion whiter than a heap of pearls, an ocean of milk, the beams of the moon, the foam of waves or the silvery mountain, with mouth adorned with sharp teeth, well-set thick and strong and fixed lusture [lustre?], with fine lips, soft like a noble lotus, well-proportioned and brilliant with the tip of the tongue protruding with palate mild and tender, like the petals of red lotus with eyes round, thunder like and gentle revolving in the socket like red hot excellent gold just poured, with thighs beautiful and large, with developed and excellent shoulders, -with a mane soft, white, fine, auspicious, broad and extended, with tail well-shaped and well-grown, erect and flapping, with claws deep and sharp and with a beautiful tongue adorning the mouth-pit like newly sprout.

The queen Prabhāvatī having seen this noble till great dream woke up, became happy, glad, pleased, joyful, very much delighted, with her heart expanded, with her pore holes thrilling like the kadamba flower struck by rain drops, and welcomed the dream. Then she came out of her bed and descended from the foot-stool. Then she moved at slow, steady, unoverwhelmed, even, swan-like pace in the direction of the couch where lay king Bala and awakened him by addressing him with kind, pleasing, amiable, tender, noble, blissful, auspicious, blessed, helpful, fortune-giving, heart-moving, heartdelighting, measured, sweet and soft words.

Then queen Prabhāvatī with the permission of king Bala sat down on a noble seat, inlaid with various gems, and decorated with sundry miniatures; then being composed and calm in her comfortable seat, she addressed him with kind till soft words and said thus:

“Oh beloved of the gods! Today I, while lying on bed as described, saw a lion entering into my mouth. Oh beloved of the gods! Tell me what blissful outcome is portended by this noble and great dream?”

On hearing these words from the queen Prabhāvatī, and understanding them king Bala became happy and pleased, very much delighted, his heart expanded with glee and his pore-holes became thrilled like the petals of the delightful kadamba blossoms when hurt by raindrops and welcomed and received the dream. Having received it, he was immersed in his thought.

Then he determined the significance of the dream by his natural talent and analytical faculty, whereon addressing the queen with kind till measured sweet and soft words, said he thus:

“Oh beloved of the gods! Surely very noble are these dreams seen by you. Oh beloved of the gods! Surely blissful are these dreams seen by you till they are auspicious, blest, helpful, fortunate, givers of healing, happiness and long life and nonending weal and bliss. Oh beloved of the gods! They portend the acquisition of wealth, of happiness, of progeny, of friends, and of kingdom in consequence of which, on completion of full nine months and seven and half days, you will give birth to a boy, who will be the ensign of our line, the lamp of our line, the crown of our line, the head-mark of our line, the giver of glory to our line, the sun of our line, the support of our line, the joy of our line, the giver of fame to bur line, the tree of our line, the exalter of our line, with tender hands and feet, free from any deficiency or depression in the organs of senses and in the body, with gracious marks and auspicious traits, well-proportioned in length, height and weight, with frame beautiful all over, calm like the moon, pleasing, pleasant and beautiful.

“Then passing through his childhood, the boy will attain the knowledge and development due to youth and step into his youth, then at youth, he will be brave, gallant and valorous, and become the master and king of a vast kingdom with a large army and extensive wagons. So oh beloved of the gods, surely very noble is the dream of yours.”

And he repeated these twice and thrice.

Queen Prabhāvatī too on hearing these from king Bala and understanding them became highly pleased, delighted and happy with her mind full of joy, till touching her head with her ten fingers set on her folded palms, she said thus:

“What you say is right, my lord! It is just, my lord! It is true, my lord I There’s no doubt in it, my lord! It is desired, my lord! It is expected, my lord! What you say is the correct significance of the dream, my lord!”

So saying she again rightly welcomed the significance of the dream. Having welcomed it, she with the permission of king Bala rose from her seat. Then at paces slow, steady, overwhelmed, till, she went to the place where stood her bed. She took her seat on the bed and said thus (unto herself) “Lest other evil dream counteracts this best, most excellent and blissful dream (if I sleep again)...” with this apprehension, she submitted herself to the practice of postdream awakening and spent her time awake by listening to discourses regarding gods and spiritual guides, bracing, blissful, pious and agreeable.

(Then at day break) king Bala sent for the keepers of the royal household and having called them said thus,

“Oh beloved of the gods I Urgently today and with special haste make ready and have made ready the exterior hall of audience duly cleaned with the brooms, duly besprinkled with fragrant water, and duly besmeared, decorate and have decorated the place with scented flowers of five colours, delight the hall with, curling and scented fumes of burning; black aloe, kundurukka etc. till the hall may turn iṇto a vessel of fragrance. Haying done these erect a throne. And on due completion of (my) order report it to me at once.”

The keepers of the royal household having finished these reported to him the execution of the order.

Then king Bala came out of his bed. Having got up, he descended from the foot-stool and went to the hall of gymnastic exercises. The description of the exercises and the courses of bath were as described in the Aupapātika Sūtra till he came out of the bath room as shining as the moon. Having come out, he moved in the direction of the external hall of audience and having gone there he sat down on the throne with his face turned towards the east. Having taken his seat he got erected in the north-eastern side of him eight chairs of state covered with white cloth and sanctified with mustard. Having got them erected, he got placed an interior screen for queen Prabhāvatī with sundry jewels and precious stones extremely worth seeing, very costly due to the use of the finest silk. Then he got erected a special chair of state for her, bedecked with sundry gems and precious stones, covered with white cloth, very soft, comfortable to touch, and outfitted with a coverlet and a soft pillow.

Having got it done, he sent for the keepers of the royal household, and these having arrived he said thus:

“Oh beloved of the gods! Hurry up and bring forth (hither) the interpreters of the significance of dreams, who well knoweth the science of prognostics with its eight branches and are well-versed in other sciences too.”

Having received the order and assuring compliance thereof they moved out quickly, without delay through the city of Hastināpura towards the quarters wherein resided the interpreters of the significance of dreams. Having reached there they called them out and made known the order of the king.

Having heard the king’s order they were highly pleased and delighted. They then having taken their bath decorated their body. Then for the sake of good omen putting mustard and durvā grass on their respective beads they started from their homes and reached the royal portal. Having reached there they all assembled together and moved inside the exterior hall of audience. Then they greeted the king with folded palms by wishing him glory and victory.

Then having been duly honoured and duly received by the king who paid them obeisance and homage and made them suitable offerings, one by one the interpreters of the significance of dreams took their seats which had been erected earlier. Then king Bala made Prabhāvatī sit behind a screen.

Thereafter taking fruits and flowers in his hands with great humility he said thus to the interpreters of the significance of dreams:

“Oh beloved of the gods! Last night queen Prabhāvatī lying on a bed etc as aforesaid saw a lion. Oh beloved of the gods! Now it behoves thee to divulge to what best outcome do this dream portend.”

On hearing these words of king Bala and understanding it those interpreters of the significance of dreams were delighted at heart, pleased and joyful, and so on and they fixed the dream in their mind. Having fixed it in their mind, they entered upon considering it and discussed it among themselves.

Having discussed it they sought to determine correctly the apparent meaning of the dream, to consider divergent meanings as they cropped up from the discussion, to arrive at a consensus and therefrom to a final meaning and thereafter they said to king Bala thus:

“Oh beloved of the gods! Recorded in our dream books are forty-two dreams and thirty great dreams, total of all dreams being seventy-two. Oh the beloved of the gods! When the embryo of an Arhat or a Cakravartī enters into the womb, then the mothers of the Arhats and Cakravartis wake up on seeing fourteen out of these thirty great dreams.

They are:

an elephant, an ox, a lion, anointment,
garlands, the moon, the sun, an ensign, a jar,
a lotus lake, a sea, a celestial abode,
a heap of jems [gems?] and a burning flame.

“When the embryo of a Vāsudeva enters into the womb they wake up on seeing any seven out of these fourteen great dreams. When the embryo of a Baladeva enters into the womb the mothers of the Baladevas wake up on seeing any four of these fourteen great dreams. When the embryo of a Māṇḍalika enters into the womb, the mothers of the Māṇḍalikas wake up on seeing any oṇe of these fourteen great dreams. Oh beloved of the gods! Out of these, queen Prabhāvatī has seen only one dream. This dream is surely noble, useful, blissful, auspicious, blest, fortunate, givers of health, happiness and long life, and it signifies non-ending bliss and excellence. It further indicates the acquisition of wealth, of comforts, of progeny, of friends, of kingdom. So do we say on the completion of full nine months and seven days, queen Prabhāvatī will give birth to a son who will be the ensign of the line. Then on completion of his childhood he will be either king of a vast territory or a houseless monk. So do we say, oh beloved of the gods! The dream seen by the queen Prabhāvatī is indeed noble till non-ending bliss and excellence.”

On hearing and receiving these words from the interpreters of the dreams, king Bala was happy, delightful and pleased till with folded palms he said thus unto the interpreters of the significance of the dreams:

“Oh beloved of the gods! It is correct as you say.”

So saying he duly welcomed the dream. Having done so, he gave unto the interpreters of the significance of the dreams much food articles, flowers, clothes, perfumes, wreaths and ornaments and duly adored and honoured them and having bestowed on them enormous gifts out of joy which, was enough to support them through life, he took leave of them.

Then he got up from the throne and went behind the screen where was seated queen Prabhāvatī and said thus unto her:

“Oh beloved of the gods! Noble indeed is the dream seen by you. You will give birth to a son who will be a king of a vast territory or a homeless monk. Oh beloved of the gods! You have seen noble dream till harbinger of non-ending bliss and excellence.”

Thus he praised it in sweet delightful till pleasant words twice or thrice.

Queen Prabhāvatī on hearing and understanding these became joyous in mind, happy and pleased till she touched her head with ten fingers on her folded palms and said,

“Oh beloved of the gods! what you say is right.”

Thus saying and welcoming the dream she with the permission of king Bala got up from her seat of state decorated with many gems and adorned with many miniatures, and at paces, neither hasty nor uncertain till swan like repaired to her own chamber.

Queen Prabhāvatī took her bath and adorned her body with ornaments. She took neither very cold nor very hot nor very bitter, pungent, astringent, sour and sweet nor very rough, wet or dry but pleasant for different seasons food, wear, perfumes and flowers. She took only such food as was helpful for the progeny-in-womb, adequate, nurishing, able to support the embryo. Her all desires were honoured and fulfilled in details and with meticulous care. Without illness without attachment without fear she carried the weight of the embryo with joy. At the end of nine months and seven and half days she gave birth to a child with tender hands and feet free from any deficiency or depression in the organs of senses and in the body with gracious marks and auspicious traits well-proportioned in length, height and weight, with a frame beautiful all over, calm like the moon, pleasing pleasant and beautiful.

Knowing the birth of the son the maids who were serving the queen went to king Bala and with folded palms greeted the king by wishing him glory and victory.

Then they submitted,

“Oh beloved of the gods! For the pleasure of queen Prabhāvatī we are giving the pleasant news of the birth of a son. Let this news be pleasant to you also.”

Hearing this pleasant news from the maids king Bala was extremely happy till his pore-holes expanded like the kadamba flower struck by rain drops. Then he gave the maids all the ornaments of his body except the crown, and washed their heads with clear and pure water poured from white silver jars. He then bestowed on them enormous gift which was enough to support them through life, he took leave of them.

Then the king Bala called the keepers of the royal household and addressed them thus:

“Oh beloved of the gods! Quickly open the prison gates and increase the weights and measures. Having done these get besprinkled with water, broomed and smeared and also do these yourselves both inside and outside the city of Hastināpura. Then erect and have erected a thousand pillers and a thousand posts and start the festivities. Thus giving start to the festivities report to me the execution of my order.”

Thus having been ordered by the king Bala the royal household keepers started the festivities and reported to king Bala the execution of his orders. Then king Bala went in the direction of the gymnasium, took his exercises and bath. He abolished for ten days all excises, customs and agricultural taxes with the cessation of purchase and sale, weighing and measuring at the shops. He also abolished all disproportionate punishments and bad punishments with the cancellation of debts, with prohibition imposed on collectors to enter the residences of the subjects. For ten days he ordered dance by the best dancing girls continuing, followed suitably at every step by the sounds of mṛdaṅga with garlands of fresh flowers never allowed to dry. Thus the city dwellers and the dwellers of the entire realm remained deeply immersed in merrymaking festivities and play. Thus in the course of ten days, king Bala spent hundreds, thousands, hundred-thousands coins, gave in charity hundreds, thousands, and hundred-thousands and also received hundreds, thousands, and hundred-thousands of offering.

On the first day the parents performed the ritual ceremony as per family tradition, on the third day they showed the infant to the sun and the moon, on the sixth day they observed the superstitious vigil and on the eleventh day they performed operations and ceremonies for the removal of impurities caused by child birth and on the twelfth day prepared plenty of food, drinks, of four categories. Having prepared these they invited and fed all their kṣatriya kinsmen as described in Book Eleven Chapter Nine on Rājarṣi Śiva. When the dinner was over as per tradition of the family, before that gathering the king gave the name to the boy befitting his family—as he was the son of king Bala and queen Prabhāvatī he was named Mahābala.

Mahāvalakumār was taken care by five nurses one who gave milk (kṣīradhātrī), one who gave bath (majjanadhātrī), one who adorned (maṇḍanadhātrī), one who played (krīḍanadhātrī) and one who hold (aṅkadhātrī) as described of prince Dṛdhapratijña in Rājapraśnīya Sūtra. He grew happily day by day as a Campaka creeper planted at a place without obstruction. As per family prestige, bis parents observed all the ceremonies beginning with birth, showing of sun and moon, night vigil, naming the child, teaching him to move on the strength of the knee, to walk on legs, to start eating cereals, to increase the morsel, to address others, to bore the ears, to invite people on his birthday, to keep tuft of hair on the crest, to invest with holy thread, etc.

When Mahābalakumār became eight years of age, his parents on an auspicious day at auspicious star at auspicious moment sent him to the master of all arts to learn as stated in the case of prince Dṛdhapratijña till he became fit for enjoying sensual pleasures. Knowing him fit for enjoying etc, his parents got constructed eight best palaces for him. These were tall and beautiful etc. as described in the Rājapraśnīya Sūtra. In the centre he got constructed another big palace with hundreds of pillers [pillars?] etc. as described of the auditorum hall in the Rājapraśnīya Sūtra till it was very beautiful.

Then on an auspicious day at auspicious star and auspicious moment Mahābalakumār was bathed and decorated. Then the married women performed the auspicious ceremonies of abhyaṅgana, vilepana (putting paste to the body), maṇḍana (decoration), gīt [gīta] (singing songs), tilak [tilaka] (putting safroṇ mark on the forehead), etc. Thereafter he was married to eight best princesses of the same skin, of the same age, of the same beauty, youth and virtue and brought from equal royal families.

After the marriage ceremony the parents of Mahābalakumār gave to their eight daughters-in-law gifts such as: eight crores of silver coins, eight crores of gold coins, eight best-crowns, eight pairs of best earrings, eight necklaces, eight half-necklaces, eight necklaces of one string, eight necklaces of pearls, eight necklaces of gold, eight necklaces of jewels, eight pairs of bangles, eight pairs of truṭitas, eight pairs of silken cloth, eight pairs of cotton cloth, eight pairs of tasars [ṭasars?], eight pairs of paṭṭas, eight pairs of dukulas, eight Śrī, eight Hrī, eight Dhī, eight Kīrti, eight Buddhi, eight images of Lakṣmī, eight nandas, eight bhadras, eight palm trees. All these were made of jewels. For the ensign of the palace (they gave) eight best flags, eight gokuls [gokulas], each gokul consisting of ten thousand cows, eight dramatic performances, each performance being enacted by thirty two actors, eight best of horses. These were also made of jewels. Eight best elephants of jewel as big as go downs, eight wagons of jewel as big as a palace, eight yugmas (carrier), eight palanquins, eight sandyamānikās (a kind of palanquin), eight ambāḍīs, eight thillis (of horse), eight open wagons, eight chariots for play, eight chariots for fight, eight horses, eight elephants, eight villages each village consisting of ten thousand families, eight servants, eight maid-servants, eight attendants, eight doorkeepers, eight eunuchs, eight mahattaraks [mahattarakas] (keepers), eight hanging lamps of silver, of gold, of silver and gold, eight lamps with stands of silver, of gold, of silver and gold, eight panjar [pañjara?] lamps of silver, of gold, of silver and gold.

(They gave) of silver, of gold, of gold and silver eight plates, eight smaller plates, eight still smaller plates, eight pots, eight dishes, eight spoons, eight pincers, eight saving pots, eight stools, eight cushions, eight tumblers, eight beds, eight smaller beds, eight haṃsāsans [haṃsāsanas], eight krauñcāsans, eight garuḍāsans [garuḍāsanas], eight high stools, eight low stools, eight long stools, eight bhadrāsans [bhadrāsanas], eight pakṣāsans [pakṣāsanas], eight makarāsans [makarāsanas], eight padmāsans [padmāsanas], eight diksvastikāsans [diksvastikāsanas], eight pots for oil, etc as described in Rājapraśnīya Sūtra till eight pots for mustard, eight maids with haunch, etc. as described in Aupapātika Sūtra till eight maids from Persia, eight umbrellas, eight maids for holding umbrellas, eight cauries, eight cauri-bearers, eight fans, eight fan-bearers, eight betel-box, eight betel-box-bearers, eight nurses of milk till eight nurses to hold, eight masseurs who massages lightly, eight masseurs who massages with force, eight maids for bathing, eight maids for decorating, eight maids for rubbing sandal wood, eight maids for making paste of betel, eight keepers of store, eight maids for fun, eight maids for accompanying in the assembly, eight maids for dramatic performances, eight maids to keep company, eight maids to cook, eight maids to keep watch on the store, eight young girls, eight maids for holding flowers, eight maids for storing water, eight maids to cook food for worship, eight maids to spread bed, eight doorkeepers inside, eight doorkeepers outside, eight maids for making garlands, and eight maids for pesting. Besides these they gave silver, gold, bronze, cloth and immense wealth till substantial wealth which was enough to give and enjoy for seven generations. Thus Mahābalakumār also gave to each of his wives one crore of silver coins, one crore of gold coins as described above till eight maids for pesting. Besides these he gave enough silver, gold, etc. Mahābalakumār [Mahābalakumāra] lived in that best of the palace enjoying all possible human pleasure like Jamālikumāra as described in Book Nine Chapter Thirtythree.

At that time in that period was living the homeless monk Dharmaghoṣa, grand disciple of thirteenth Tīrthaṅkara Vimalanātha. He was like Keśīkumāra endowed with the knowledge of the previous lives till with his family of five hundred monks roaming from village to village arrived at Hastināpura and stayed in the garden called Sahasrāmravana enlighting [enlightening?] his soul with restraint and austerities. People of Hastināpura knew of his arrival till they worshipped him.

Hearing the noise and movement of a multitude of men Mahābalakumār like Jamāli enquired the reason of it from his attendants. The attendants submitted to him with folded hands, “Oh beloved of the gods! The homeless monk Dharmaghoṣa, grand disciple of the thirteenth Tīrthaṅkara has arrived here. Mahābalakumār went out to worship

him and Dharmaghoṣa Sūri like Keśī addressed the assembly. Hearing his sermon Mahābalakumār became indifferent to the world.

He came home and said to his parents,

“My dear parents I want to be initiated at the hands of Dharmaghoṣa Sūri.”

Like Jamālikumār he had a long discussion with his parents till they said,

“Dear Son I How can you take initiation leaving behind this immense wealth and your eight wives born in high families and proficient in arts, etc. till they spoke to him thus unwillingly, “Dear son! We want to see you as king atleast for one day.”

Hearing this request Mahābalakumār could not give any reply. Thereafter the parents arranged the coronation ceremony of Mahābalakumār like the coronation ceremony of Śivabhadra as described in Book Eleven Chapter Nine and hailed him with victory and success.

Then they spoke to him the following words:

“Dear son! What may we give to you? What may we do for you? What do you need from us?” [etc. as stated in the Chapter on Jamāli.]

Taking initiation from Dharmaghoṣa Sūri Mahābalakumār studied (fourteen Pūrvas starting with sāmāyika and practised many fasts, for a day, for two, three days till he lived the life of a monk for twelve years. He courted death after a month’s sallekhanā missing sixty meals enriching his soul by discussing retracing and remaining in equanimity and was born in Brahma Devaloka like Ambaḍa much above the abode of the sun and the moon. Life-span of some of the gods of Brahmadevaloka was stated to be of ten sāgaropamas. Accordingly he lived there the life-span of ten sāgaropamas. Oh Sudarśana! In previous life you were Mahābalakumār. After living the life-span of ten sāgaropamas in Brahmadevaloka when your life-span, existence and stay was exhausted you descended and was born in the family of the merchant of Vāṇijyagrāma as a son.

Oh Sudarśana! Being free from boyhood thou have now attained youth and have heard the teachings of the Jiṇas from the wise Sthaviras. Their teachings was pleasing to you. Oh Sudarśana! What you are doing now is right. So I am saying that palyopama and sāgaropama exhausts and erode.

On hearing religion from Bhagavān Mahāvīra and understanding it Merchant Sudarśana due to auspicious effort, auspicious result and pure leśyā destroying the karma obstructing these qualities and practising īhā, apoha, mārgaṇā and gavesanā obtained saṅgī knowledge of his previous life. Thus he saw distinctly his previous life as described by Mahāvīra. This doubly increased his faith. His eyes were filled with tears of joy.

Thrice he walked round Bhagavān Mahāvīra in reverence, paid his homage and obeisance and said:

“Bhante! What you are saying is true. So it is. It is right.”

Saying thus Merchant Sudarśana like Ṛṣabhadatta as stated in Book Nine Chapter Thirty-three courted monkhood, studied fourteen Pūrvas. Having lived as a monk for twelve years till ended all misery.

—Bhante it is so. What you say is right.

Chapter Eleven ends.