Part 9: Initiation of Vimalavāhana

After this speech Vimalavāhana became silent. The prince, his hands joined submissively, said, “Very well.” He got up from the lion-throne, respectful as before, and gave his arm to his father who wished to rise to take the vow. Supported by his son who considered himself as insignificant as a door-keeper, he went to the bath-house adorned with many pitchers. The chief of kings bathed himself with water flowing from dolphin-mouthed golden pitchers, resembling rain-water. Then the King dried his body with a soft cloth and anointed it with gośīrṣa-sandal. The King’s abundant hair, dark as the leaves of the blue lotus, with flowers in it like a cloud with the moon inside, was arranged by experts. The King then put on two auspicious divine garments, flowing, spotless, transparent, of beautiful quality^[1] like himself. Then he, who was the crown of kings, had his jeweled, golden crown, which his son had brought, placed on his head. He, ornamented by virtues, put other ornaments also, such as a necklace, armlets, and ear-ornaments, on his body. Like another kalpa-tree he gave to beggars the jewels, gold, silver, garments, and anything else they desired.

Then the elephant of men got into a palanquin that required a hundred men to carry it (naraśatodvāhyā), like Naravāhana (Kubera) getting into the aerial car Puṣpaka. King Vimalavāhana, the abode of merit, resplendent with a white umbrella and chauris as if attended by the three jewels that had come in person immediately; awaking delight in men by the great tumult of bards and the loud sound of musical instruments like two friends meeting; having the beautiful appearance of the sun with the planets from the distinguished vassal-kings hastening in the rear, at the sides, and in the front; adorned by his son going in front like a door-keeper, turning his head like a lotus turned on its stalk, seeking orders; seeing in turn auspicious things being made by townswomen here and there with full dishes and pitchers; purifying the king’s highway crowded with hundreds of bright platforms, carrying rows of pennants, smeared with yakṣakardama-ointment; accepting at every dais an auspicious light-waving made by courtesans, accompanied by a concert by a band of musicians; looked at from a distance, like something never seen before, by the citizens with wide-open eyes, as motionless as if painted in a picture; followed on all sides by the people hurrying, as if they were drawn by the power of a charm, as if bewitched, as if dumb, went to the garden purified by the lotus-feet of Ācārya Arindama.

The King got out of the palanquin and entered the garden, like the mind of ascetics, on foot. The King took the entire collection of ornaments from his body like the weight of the earth from his arm. At once the King took off the wreath of flowers that had been long worn on his head, like the command of Kandarpa (Love). Standing at the left side of the Ācārya, he paid homage to the shrine and then took the broom,^[2] etc., the badge of a saint, which were given. The King tore out his hair in five handfuls, saying, “I renounce all censurable activity.” Noble-minded, he looked as if he had observed the vow since infancy, because of the ascetic’s costume that he adopted at that time. He paid homage to the preceptor accompanied by circumambulation three times and, when he had finished, the preceptor delivered a sermon as follows.

 

Footnotes and references:

[1]:

Guṇa, primarily ‘thread,’ of course, when applied to cloth.

[2]:

The broom is an outstanding sign of the Jain monk. He never moves without it.