Trishashti Shalaka Purusha Caritra

by Helen M. Johnson | 1931 | 742,503 words

This page describes Kalkin which is the sixth part of chapter XIII of the English translation of the Mahavira-caritra, contained within the “Trishashti Shalaka Purusha Caritra”: a massive Jain narrative relgious text composed by Hemacandra in the 12th century. Mahavira in jainism is the twenty-fourth Tirthankara (Jina) and one of the 63 illustrious beings or worthy persons.

Wandering in the city, after he has seen five stūpas there, he will ask his attendants, ‘Who had these built?’ They will explain: ‘In the past there was a famous king, Nanda, like Dhanada in wealth. He deposited much gold here in the stūpas and no king has been able to take it.’ When King Kalkin hears that, avaricious by nature, he will have the stūpas dug up and will take the gold. Seeking money, he will have the city dug up everywhere and will regard all the kings like straw. A stone cow, named Lavaṇadevī, will appear from the ground of the city dug up by Kalkin at that time. Set up at the cross-roads, by a miracle she will touch the munis wandering for alms with the tip of her horn. The elders will declare: ‘She indicates a future severe water-calamity. So wander elsewhere.’ Hearing that, some sages will go away in wandering; others, greedy for food, clothes, et cetera, will say, ‘If something good or bad will happen from time or the power of karma, who, though victorious himself, is able to ward it off?’

Then Kalkin will ask all the heretics for a tax. The ones with property and enterprises will give it to him. Saying: ‘The other heretics paid the tax. Why do you not pay?’ he, greedy, will oppress the sādhus. The sādhus will say: ‘King, we have nothing. Dependent on alms, what can we give you, except “Dharmalābha”? It is said in the Purāṇas, “Protecting ascetics absorbed in contemplating the one supreme spirit, the king will have a sixth part of their merit.” So, cease persecuting us, king. This action leads to misfortune, both in the city and realm always.’

When Kalkin hears this speech of the munis, he will certainly be angry, frowning, his face terrible, terrifying like Kṛtānta. The city-goddess will say to him, ‘Basest of mortals, do you wish to die that you ask the munis for money?’ Terrified by the speech of the goddess like an elephant by the roar of a lion, Kalkin will apologize to the sādhus with humility. Then there will by many terrifying portents daily, indicating the destruction of King Kalkin’s city. The cloud will rain for seventeen days and nights and the stream of the Gaṅgā, rising, will flood the city. There Ācārya Prātipada some of the congregation, some of the people of the city, and Kalkin will stand on a dry mound. Many citizens and treasure will go at once with the Gaṅgā’s water advancing on all sides. When the calamity of water ends, King Kalkin will make again a new city with Nanda’s money. There will be temples; the sādhus will wander; the cloud will rain at the right time, the cause of the grain’s ripening. The people will not buy grain with a dramma even when taking a kumbha.[1] It will be (a country) of good alms for fifty years, while Kalkin lives.

When his death is near, Kalkin will make all the heretics give up their outfits and will oppress them especially, After putting Prātipada with the congregation into a cow-compound, he, hard-hearted, will demand the sixth part of alms. The congregation will make kāyotsarga for the propitiation of Śakra. Messenger-deities will say, ‘Kalkin, this is not conducive to peace.’ His throne shaken by the power of the congregation’s kāyotsarga, Śakra will assume the form of an old Brāhman and go there. Śakra will say to Kalkin seated on his lion-throne in the assembly, ‘Why have you shut up these sādhus?’ Kalkin will say to Śakra: ‘They live in my city, but they do not give me a tax, the sixth part of their alms, look you! All the heretics paid me the tax, but not these. For that reason they are shut up in the compound, like a bad cow, to be milked by force.’ Śakra will say: ‘These have nothing. They will never give a part of alms to any one. Are you not ashamed, demanding a part of their alms from begging monks? Let them go. Otherwise, you will have a great misfortune in future.’

Angry at this speech Kalkin will say, ‘Here, soldiers! Take this Brāhman by the neck and throw him out at once.’ At this speech Pākaśāsana will at once reduce Kalkin—a mountain of baseness—to a heap of ashes by a blow from his open hand. Having completed a life of eighty-six years, King Kalkin will become a hell-inhabitant in a hell which has no end.

Śakra will go away, after instructing Kalkin’s son, Datta, in the religion of the Arhats and installing him on the throne, having paid homage to the congregation. Remembering the terrifying consequences of his father’s sin and Śakra’s teaching, Datta will make the earth adorned with temples of the Arhats. Henceforth, up to the end of the fifth spoke, there will be constant advance of the religion of the Arhats. In the time of the Arhats this Bharatakṣetra, covered with villages, mines, and cities, laden with wealth and grain, was like heaven. Villages were like towns; towns were equal to heaven; householders were equal to kings; kings resembled Kubera. Teachers were equal to the moon-god; parents were equal to divinities; mothers-in-law to mothers; fathers-in-law to fathers.

Then the people were devoted to truth and purity, knowing right and wrong, attached to good breeding, worshippers of honored gurus; satisfied with their own wives. Science, learning, morals, and also the family thrive. There was no fear of a hostile army, plague, robbers, and there was no new tax. The kings were devoted to the Arhats and the followers of false doctrine were blamed. Ten marvels took place, the attacks, et cetera.[2]

Henceforth in duḥṣamā, the people with minds whose righteousness has been stolen by passions will be without bounds, like an excessively watery field. As the time will pass, so the people, their understanding confused by false doctrine, will be devoid of non-violence, et cetera. Villages will be like cemeteries; towns like the world of the dead; householders like slaves; kings equal to rods of Yama. Greedy kings will take money from their own servants; the servants from the people. The law of fishes will prevail.

The ones who were lowest will be in the middle; and the ones who were in the middle will be the lowest, in turn. Kingdoms will be unsteady, like boats with loose sails. Thieves will oppress the earth by thievery and kings by taxes. Guilds will be absorbed in the acquisition of wealth and the superintendents greedy for bribes. People, devoted solely to their own interests, will oppress their own people, turned away from others’ interests, devoid of truth, shame, and courtesy. Disciples will not honor teachers; and they, indeed, will not give the disciples any instruction at all in scriptural knowledge. Then the pupil living in the house of the teacher will gradually pass away. There will be sluggish intellect in dharma and the earth will be over-burdened with many creatures.

The gods will not appear in person; sons will not honor parents; daughters-in-law will be like serpents; mothers-in-law equal to the night at the end of the world, on the other hand. Women of good family, devoid of shame, will practice courtesanship by contortions of the eyes, smiles, chatter, and other coquetries. There will be a decrease in laymen and lay-women, destruction of fourfold dharma, no invitations to sādhus and sadhvīs even on festival days. There will be dishonest weight, dishonest measure, deceit even in dharma. Virtuous people will be in painful circumstances; the wicked will be very comfortable. In the fifth spoke there will be a decrease in gems, charms, herbs, spells, and of different kinds of knowledge; in money and life; in fruits, flowers, and juices; in beauty; and in height of the body; of dharma and other pure conditions; in the sixth spoke, more so. With merit decreasing gradually in this way as time advances, whoever will have a disposition toward dharma, his fife will be fruitful.

An ācārya, named Duṣprasaha, a sādhvī Phalguśrī a layman Nāgila, a laywoman, Satyaśrī, a king Vimalavāhana, a minister Sumukha—these will be the last in duḥṣamā in Bhārata. They will be two cubits tall and will five for twenty years. The penance of the four—Duṣprasaha and the others, will be the last two-day fast. Anyone, knowing the Daśavaikālika, he, knowing the fourteen pūrvas,[3] will enlighten the congregation about the doctrine, ending with Duṣprasaha. Then dharma will turn downward, but whoever says, ‘There is no dharma’ must be expelled from the congregation by the congregation. After Duṣprasaha has passed twelve years as a householder and eight years in the vow, at the end he will go to the heaven Saudharma by means of a three-day fast.

Footnotes and references:

[1]:

I.e. it will be so cheap.

[2]:

See above, p. 214f.

[3]:

I.e. any one knowing the Daśavaikālika will be considered to know the 14 pūrvas.

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