Trishashti Shalaka Purusha Caritra

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

This page describes Preparations for expedition of conquest which is the first part of chapter IV of the English translation of the Adisvara-caritra, contained within the “Trishashti Shalaka Purusha Caritra”: a massive Jain narrative relgious text composed by Hemacandra in the 12th century. Adisvara (or Rishabha) in jainism is the first Tirthankara (Jina) and one of the 63 illustrious beings or worthy persons.

Part 1: Preparations for expedition of conquest

Now, the Cakrin Bharata, eager for the cakra as for a guest, went to the armory by the central road in Vinītā. At the mere sight of it the King bowed. For warriors look upon a weapon as a chief-divinity in person. Then taking a woolen brush, Bharata cleaned it. For that is the practice among the devoted—no dust on such a jewel. The King bathed it with pure water, as the eastern ocean bathes the rising sun. On it, just as on the back of a chief-elephant, the King put tilakas of gośīrṣa-sandal indicating it was entitled to worship. The King worshipped it, as if it were the Śrī of victory in person, with flowers, perfumes, fragrant-powder, clothes, and ornaments. In front of it, he designed the eight auspicious things with silver rice, and in front of each auspicious thing enclosed a Śrī of the eight quarters. In front of it (the cakra), the King made an offering of five-colored flowers that made the earth have various colors. The King then burned the best incense consisting of divine sandal and camphor zealously, as if it were the glory of his enemies, before the cakra. Then the Cakradhara made the pradakṣiṇā three times to the cakra and stepped back seven or eight steps, as if before a teacher. Then bending the left knee, and placing the right on the ground, the King paid homage to the cakra, as suppliants did to him. Taking up his residence in that very place, the King like joy embodied made an eight-day festival in honor of the cakra. The wealthy citizens also made a pūjā-festival to the cakra. For one that is worshipped by persons who are worshipped (by others), by whom is he not worshipped?

Wishing to employ the cakra-jewel for the conquest of various countries, the King went to the bath-house for an auspicious bath. There, his collection of ornaments laid aside, wearing white garments suitable for the bath, facing the east, the King sat on the bath-throne. The King was anointed with oils—the oil with a thousand ingredients and others, as fragrant as if made of the essence of the blooms of the trees of heaven. Then the King was bathed by expert shampooers, who knew which places were to be rubbed and which not rubbed, according to the four kinds of shampooing—the source of comfort to the flesh, bone, skin, and hair, with the three kinds—gentle, medium, and harsh—of touch. They polished the King quickly like a mirror, a vessel of spotless light, with fine divine-powder. Some noble women with golden pitchers held up in their hands, like ponds of beauty with new lotuses with upraised stalks; some women holding silver water-pitchers, like waters that had become congealed turned into vessels for containing water; some women carrying in their beautiful hands pitchers of sapphire giving the illusion of toy-blue-lotuses; other women carrying divine jeweled pitchers, their extreme beauty being increased by the great splendor of the nail-jewels, in turn bathed the King with fragrant, purified streams of water, as the goddesses had bathed the Jinendra.

Then after he was bathed and rubbed with divine ointment; adorned with white clothes as if by the light of the quarters on all sides; wearing on his forehead a new auspicious sandal-tilaka like a new shoot sprung up from the tree of glory; supporting pearl ornaments spotless as the heap of his own glory, as the sky supports the shining multitudes of stars; ornamented with his crown, like a palace with a finial, which shamed the sun by its mass of wavering light; decorated with chauris that resembled ear-ornaments, frequently raised by the lotus-hands of courtesans; adorned with a white umbrella with a golden tip that resembled Himavat with its lotus-pond holding the lotus-abode of Śrī; always completely surrounded by sixteen thousand devoted Yakṣas as if by door-keepers stationed near, the King like Vāsava mounted the elephant-jewel like Airāvaṇa, which obscured one quarter of the sky by the top of its high protuberance. The noble elephant, giving loud roars, at once became another cloud, as it were, with unlimited streams of ichor. The cry of “Hail! Hail!” was made simultaneously by throngs of bards making the sky full of shoots, as it were, by raising their hands.

Then the drum, being beaten and giving loud sounds like a chief-singer, made the quarters, like singing-girls, respond. Other choice, auspicious musical instruments resounded, turned into messengers in the task of summoning the other troops. With elephants whose protuberances bearing vermilion were like mountains bearing minerals; with horses giving the impression that the horses of the sun had been multiplied; with chariots spacious as his own wishes; with powerful infantry like submissive lions, the King set out first to the east, spreading a cover for the sky, as it were, by the dust raised by his army.

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