Part 7: Birth-rites performed by Dikkumārīs

Then the thrones of the Dikkumārīs trembled, as if eager to jump up from the desire to go into the Jina’s presence. Wearing veils of cloth of a deep safflower hue, as it were, in the guise of a flood of light from beautiful crest-jewels; adorned with pearl ear-rings with the inside filled with their own light, like pitchers of nectar with tinkling waves of nectar; resplendent with necklaces made of various gems imitating the appearance of a rainbow made into a circle; beautiful with ropes of pearls placed on rounded breasts, stealing the beauty of cascades wavering on the banks of Ratnaśaila; their creeper-like arms shining with jeweled bracelets like beautiful quivers deposited by Anaṅga; wearing girdles made of priceless jewels like bow-strings drawn for Love wishing to conquer the world; adorned with jeweled anklets clinging to lotus-feet like the light of all the Jyotiṣkas overcome by the light of the body; some with a dark body-radiance like priyaṅgu-creepers, some spreading a grove of tālīs^[1] in the sky, as it were, by their own light; some spreading light like the light of dawn, some bathing the sky with light like clear moonlight; some putting golden threads, as it were, on the sky with their light, some like dolls of cat’s-eye in beauty; all with their rounded breasts resembling rivers with cakravākas, all resembling rājahaṃsīs in their graceful gait; all with delicate hands like creepers with sprouts, all beautiful-eyed like lotus-ponds with blooming lotuses; all with a flood of loveliness like ponds with water; all endowed with fairness like goddesses of love; startled by the shaking of their thrones, saying, “What is this?” the fifty-six (Dikkumārīs) at once employed clairvoyant knowledge.

Then by means of clairvoyant knowledge the Dikkumārīs knew simultaneously the purifying birth of a Tīrthakṛt. They reflected: “In this very Jambūdvīpa in the middle part of the southern half of Bharata in the great city Vinītā the second blessed Tīrthakṛt of this avasarpiṇī, possessing three kinds of knowledge, has been borne to King Jitaśatru of the Ikṣvāku-family by his wife Vijayā.”

After these reflections, they joyfully got up from their seats and took seven or eight steps, looking in the direction of the Tīrthakṛt. After they had placed the Jineśvara before them in their minds, as it were, and had bowed to him, all with deep devotion paid homage to him with the Śakrastava. Returning, they sat down on their jeweled lion-thrones and instructed their respective Ābhiyogika-gods:^[2]

“Listen! We must go now to the southern half of Bharata to perform the birth-ceremonies of the second Arhat who is born. Make then for us cars with roomy interiors, made of various gems, of large dimensions.”

The Ābhiyogikas, possessing strong powers, made the cars in accordance with their instructions, uneven with golden finials by the thousand, like offshoots of the cars of the Vaimānikas with comets; shining with gemmed pillars adorned with figures of śāl-wood like crowds of dancing girls tired out by fatigue from violent dancing; constantly ringing with rows of tinkling little bells like elephants with the loud noise of bells; beautiful with diamond balconies like thrones of Śrīs; like suns with a thousand lights streaming forth; adorned on all sides with jeweled wolves, bulls, horses, men, antelopes, dolphins, haṃsas, śarabhas, yaks, elephants, kinnaras, forest-creepers, and heaps of lotus-tendrils on the walls, roofs, and tops of pillars, and showed them (to the Dikkumārīs).

The eight Dikkumārikās living in the lower world, clothed in devadūṣya-cloth, their hair adorned with flowers: Bhogaṅkarā, Bhogavatī, Subhogā, Bhogamālinī, Toyadhārā, Vicitrā, Puṣpamālā, and Aninditā, each one attended by four thousand Sāmānikīs, each one joined by four mahattarās,^[3] each one surrounded by seven great armies and each by seven generals, each one attended by sixteen thousand body-guards and by other powerful Vyantara-gods and goddesses, got into their cars and set off eagerly in the northeast, with charming song and dance.

Then they made immediately a vaikriyasamudghāta^[4] and made a staff innumerable yojanas long. They removed the coarse matter of jewels, the cat’s-eye, diamond, lohitākṣa, aṅka, añjana after añjana, pulaka after pulaka, jyotīrasa, ruby, riṣṭa, crystal, gold, and haṃsagarbha on all sides, of emerald and galla, and retained the fine matter. Then they made their own uttaravaikriya-forms.^[5] For the gods’ magic powers of transformation are perfected at birth. With the gait of the gods, superior, fast, wavering, impetuous, divine with lion-like, proud, energetic, and skilful gaits,^[6] they went to the city Ayodhyā to the house of King Jitaśatru, with all magnificence and all power. Then they circumambulated the Tīrthakṛt’s birth-house three times with their large cars like the heavenly bodies revolving around Amarācala (Meru). Then they stopped their cars in the northeast, not touching the ground by four fingers’ distance. After they had entered the birth-house and had circumambulated the Jinendra and his mother three times, their hands joined together submissively, they said:

“Hail to you, O Mother of the World, bearing a jewel in your womb, you have become the essence of all women, giver of light to the world. You are fortunate, you are purified, you are the first in the world. This birth of yours has fruit in this human-world, since you are the mother of a man-jewel, the Ocean of Milk of compassion, the Master deserving praise in the three worlds, the Dharmacakrin, the teacher of the three worlds, the brother of the world, conferring favors on all, the second Jinendra in this avasarpiṇī. O Mother, we are Dikkumārikās living in the lower world and have come here to hold the birth-festival for the Tīrthakṛt. You must not be afraid of us.”

After this speech, they bowed and withdrew to the northeast. By the vaikriyasamudghāta with abundant power they created instantly a wind, called ‘whirlwind.’^[7] By means of the wind, auspicious, gentle and cool, blowing obliquely, bringing a wealth of perfume from a variety of flowers of all seasons, they removed first the dry grass, etc., around the birth-house for a yojana and cleaned the ground thoroughly. Then they stood not far from the Blessed One and the Blessed One’s mother, singing auspicious songs joyfully.

Then the eight Dikkumārikās living in upper Rucaka on the peaks of the garden Nandana: Meghaṅkarā, Meghavatī, Sumeghā, Meghamālinī, Suvatsā, Vatsamitrā, Vāriseṇā, Balāhakā, wearing divine ornaments, attended by mahattarās, Sāmānikīs, and body-guards, by armies and generals as before, went to the birth-house purified by the Master’s birth and circumambulated the Jinendra and the Jina’s mother three times. After announcing themselves like the preceding ones, bowing to Vijayā and praising (her), they made (by magic) the sky dark with clouds, in that same place. Then they rained fragrant water, not too little and not too much, for a yojana from the Blessed One’s birth-house. The dust was quickly destroyed by this rain, like sin by penance, like darkness by moonlight of a night of full moon. Then they created rapidly a multitude of flowers, variegated and blooming, like stage-directors on the floor of the stage. They made the ground exceedingly fragrant, like a dwelling of Śrī, with, incense-smoke rich in camphor and aloes. Then they stood not too near and not too far from the Tīrthakṛt and the Tīrthakṛt’s mother, singing the Master’s spotless virtues.

Then the Dikkumārikās living on the eastern Rucaka Mts.: Nandottarā, Nandā, Ānandā, Ānandavardhanā, Vijayā, Vaijayantī, Jayantī, and Aparājitā, accompanied by all their magnificence and power, came with their retinues to the birth-house in the same way as the preceding ones and circumambulated the Master and the Master’s mother three times. After they had announced themselves to the Mistress, had bowed, and had recited a hymn of praise as before, they stood in front of them, singing, and holding jeweled mirrors.

The eight Dikkumārikās living on the southern Rucaka Mts.: Samahārā (Samāhārā?), Supradattā, Suprabuddhā, Yaśodharā, Lakṣmīvatī, Śeṣavatī, Citraguptā, Vasundharā, wearing beautiful ornaments, wreaths, and divine garments, came with their retinues to this house, in the same way as the preceding ones, bowed to the Mistress after the circumambulation and announced themselves. At the right of the Jinendra and the Jina’s mother, they, sweet-voiced, stood, singing auspicious songs, holding pitchers in their hands.

Also the Dikkumārikās living on the western Rucaka Mts.: Ilādevī, Surādevī, Pṛthivī, Padmavatī, Ekanāsā, Navamikā, Bhadrā, Sītā, with retinues of the same size, announced themselves as before, bowed to the Jina and the Jina’s mother after the circumambulation, and stood behind them, singing, holding beautiful fans.

Also the Dikkumārikās living on the northern Rucaka Mts.: Alambusā, Miśrakeśī, Puṇḍarīkā, Vāruṇī, Hāsā, Sarvaprabhā, Hrī, Śrī, with the same attendants announced themselves as before, bowed to the feet of the Jina and the Jina’s mother after circumambulating them, and stood on the left, singing, holding beautiful chauris.

The four Dikkumārikās living in the intermediate points of the compass on Rucaka: Vicitrā, Citrakanakā, Suterā, Sautrāmaṇī, came, circumambulated and bowed to the Jina and the Jina’s mother, and announced themselves. Singing the numerous virtues of the Master and the Master’s mother, they stood at the intermediate points, northeast, etc., holding lamps in their hands.

The four Dikkumārikās living in the center of Rucakadvīpa: Rūpā, Rūpāṃśukā, Surūpā, Rūpakāvatī, each one resplendent with a complete retinue as before, got into their big cars and came to the Arhat’s birth-house. They circumambulated it three times, remaining in the cars themselves, and then stopped the cars in the proper place. Then, going on foot, they circumambulated the Jinendra and the Jina’s mother with devotion, bowed to them and said:

“Hail! Long live! Rejoice, you whose son is for the delight of the world. O Mother of the World, this is a fortunate moment for us to-day because of the sight of you. The ocean (ratnākara), Ratnaśaila (mountain of jewels), and the earth (ratnagarbhā)—these are useless. You alone are the source of jewels, since you have borne this jewel of a son. We Dikkumārikās, living in the center of Rucaka, have come here to perform the Arhat’s birth-ceremonies. You must not be afraid.”

With these words, they cut the Supreme Lord’s navel-cord, leaving a length of four fingers. They dug a hole in which they deposited the Lord’s navel-cord like a treasure, and then filled up the hole with jewels and diamonds. They covered a platform over it with dūrvā-grass^[8] that shot up at once. Even gardens shoot up by the power of the gods. In three directions from the birth-house they immediately erected plantain-houses^[9] like houses of Śrī. Inside of each they created a four-room apartment, and inside each of them a large lion-throne. Then they took the Tīrthaṅkara on their palms and the Mistress on their arms and led them to the southern plantain-house. Then within the four-room apartment, they seated the Master and the Master’s mother comfortably on the best jeweled lion-throne. They themselves became shampooers and anointed them with oils, the oil with a hundred ingredients, etc., with comfortable manipulations. Instantly, they rubbed their bodies like jeweled mirrors with fragrant substances, sweet-smelling and ground fine.

After they had taken the Jinendra on their palais and his mother on their arms, they led them into the eastern plantain-house. They seated the Jinendra and the Jina’s mother on the best jeweled lion-throne in the four-room apartment in it. They bathed the two with perfumed water, with flower-juices, and pure water, as if they had been taught to do that from birth. They put various jeweled ornaments on them, considering that their own power, being such, had accomplished its purpose after a long time.

After the goddesses had taken the Jinendra and Queen Vijayā as before, they went into the beautiful northern plantain-house. There they seated them, resembling a lioness and her son seated on a mountain, on the lion-throne in the four-room apartment. In a moment they had gośīrṣa-sandal brought for fuel by the Ābhiyogikas from Mt. Kṣudrahimavat. They made a fire spring up by rubbing two pieces of wood. For a fire is produced even from sandal-wood when it is rubbed.^[10] Using all the sandal-wood for fuel, the goddesses made the fire increase as if fire had been added. They made auspicious ceremonies with the sacrifice thrown in the fire and fastened an amulet on the Jinendra, charming in their devotion. Saying aloud, “May you live as long as a mountain,” they struck together small balls of jeweled-stones near the Jina’s ears.^[11] They took the Tīrthaṅkara on their palms and Vijayā on their arms, led them to the bath-house, and put them on the couch. Then they stood not too far away and not too close, singing rapidly the shining virtues of the faster and the Master’s mother.

Footnotes and references:

[1]:

The Corypha taliera, the mountain-palm, i.e., green.

[2]:

The servant gods. See below, Chap. III.

[3]:

Mahattarā. These seem to be goddesses equal in power to the Dikkumārīs themselves, whose commands cannot be transgressed by the Dikkumārīs. Ava. 184, p. 163 f.

[4]:

See I, p. 118 and n. 157.

[5]:

See above, n. 54.

[6]:

The edition here reads: siṃhoddhatābhyāṃ yatanāchekābhyāṃ atha divyayā, and all MSS. have the same, which presents difficulties. The gait of the gods is often described, and a close parallel occurs in Jñātā. 15, p. 38 (Bhav. ed.). Its text reads: sīhāe uddhuyāe jatiṇāe cheyāe divvāe devagatie: with 4 adjs. instead of nouns. Sīhā is explained as siṃhā (PH saiṃhā), ‘with firmness of a lion’; uddhuyā, ‘lifted up by excessive pride’; jatiṇā, ‘victorious’; cheyā, ‘skilful.’ This is said to be based on the ṭīkā of Jīv. PE and Rājendra take sīhā=śighrā (same ref.). PE quotes a noun jaïṇā (yatnā), ‘a kind of gati,’ with another ref. to Jñātā., where I can find only jatiṇaṃ (51, p. 155). This yatnā approaches our yatanā, but what can it mean? Jaïṇa usually=javin, ‘speedy,’ or jayin, ‘victorious.’ For further discussion, see App. I.

[7]:

I do not understand why or how the vaikriyasamudghāta was used to make a wind. Cf. I, n. 157.

[8]:

See I, n. 143.

[9]:

See I, n. 144.

[10]:

Sandal is symbolic of coolness.

[11]:

See I, n. 145.