Part 17: Birth ceremonies of Sumatinātha

The Dikkumārīs performed suitably the birth-rites for him, and Śakra took the Lord from Maṅgalā’s couch to Sumeru. The sixty-three Indras, Acyuta and others, bathed in turn the Lord, seated on Śakra’s lap, with water from the tīrthas. Placing the Lord on Īśāna’s lap, Śakra bathed him with water rising from the horns of four bulls made of crystal.

After he had anointed the Lord and worshipped him with garments and ornaments, and had waved the light vessel, Śakra praised him with devotion:

Stuti:

“O god, the earth shares happiness from your birth-kalyāṇa. How much more where your lotus-feet shall wander! Now eyes have done their duty by obtaining the pleasure of a sight of you; and hands by which you have been worshipped, O Blessed One, have their purpose accomplished. O Lord Jina, after a long time the festival of your bath, anointing, worship, etc. has become the finial of the shrine of my desire. O Lord of the World, now I extol even saṃsāra in which the sight of you, O god, alone is cause of emancipation. Even the waves of the ocean Svayambhūramaṇa are numbered, but not the virtues of you who possess the supernatural powers, by such as me. O pillar of the sole pavilion of dharma, sun for the lighting of the world, tree to the creeper of compassion, protect the universe, O Lord of the World. Your preaching, the key for opening the closed door of nirvāṇa, will be heard by fortunate beings, O god. May your form, reflected always in my mind resembling a shining mirror, be the cause of nirvāṇa.”

After this hymn of praise, Hari took the Lord, flew up instantly, left him at Lady Maṅgalā’s side, and went to his own abode.