Part 5: Interpretation of the dreams

The Prince agreed and a door-keeper was sent eagerly by the King to summon men skilled in dream-science. The astrologers, covered with clean, white clothes, their skins shining from bathing, like stars veiled by the moonlight of the full moon; with blades of dūrvā-grass on their heads, as if they were wearing garlands; their hair (adorned) with flowers like rivers with haṃsas and blue lotuses; adorned on their foreheads with tilakas of powdered orpiment^[1] like torches of unwithered knowledge; their bodies adorned with a few priceless shining ornaments, like trees at the beginning of Caitra^[2] with a few fragrant flowers, came before the King, announced by the doorkeeper, like the secrets of the books of knowledge in person.

They recited to the King, separately and together, the prayers contained in the noble Vedas^[3] which produce good fortune for every one. They threw dūrvā-grass, unhusked rice, etc., which conferred happiness, on the King’s head, like garden-breezes throwing flowers. They sat down on lovely thrones indicated by the door-keeper, like haṃsas on lotus-leaves. After that, the King seated his wife and sister-in-law behind a curtain, like digits of the moon behind a cloud. Putting into their joined hands flowers and fruit like the fruit of the dreams visualized, the King told them the dreams of his wife and sister-in-law. After they had consulted with each other aside in the same place, they explained the meaning of the dreams in accordance with dream-science.

“Your Majesty, seventy-two dreams are described in dream-science. Of these, thirty are pre-eminent like planets among heavenly bodies. Among these thirty dreams fourteen are called ‘great dreams’ by the experts, in dream-science. When a Tīrthaṅkara or a Cakravartin is in the womb, his mother sees these in succession in the fourth watch of the night. The mother of a Hari (Vāsudeva) sees seven of them; the mother of a Sīrin (Balabhadra) sees four; and the mother of a king one. There are never two Arhats nor two cakrins at the same time. So the son of one is a Tīrthakṛt and of the other a cakrabhṛt. The teachings of the Arhats say, ‘Bharata is cakrin in the time of Ṛṣabha; and Sagara, the son of Sumitra, in the time of the Tīrthaṅkara Ajita, son of Jitaśatru.’ The son of Queen Vijayā must surely be known as a Tīrthaṅkara, and the son of Vaijayantī as the lord of six-part Bharata.” Then the King, delighted, presented them with gratuities,—villages, earth-walled towns, etc., clothes, ornaments, etc. From the announcement of the birth (of the Tīrthaṅkara and Cakravartin), their poverty from birth disappeared. Great men, even before they are born, confer benefits on people. Resplendent with clothes and ornaments like kalpa-trees, with the King’s permission they went to their respective houses. Vijayā and Vaijayantī, delighted, went to their houses, like the Gaṅgā and the Sindhu to the ocean.