16

His omniscience

The Lord of the World went from that place to the city Varanasi and stood at the foot of a dhataki in the garden Asramapada. At that time when eighty-four days had passed since the day of the Master’s initiation, his destructive karmas broke. In the forenoon on the fourth of the dark half of Caitra, the moon being in Visakha, Sri Parsva’s omniscience arose. The gods, Sakras, et-cetera knew it by the shaking of their thrones and made sri Parsva Swamin’s samavasarana at once.
Attended by the gods shouting “Hail! Hail!, the Lord entered the samavasarana by the east door. The Master circumambulated the great caitya-tree, twenty-seven bows tall, like the sun the peak of Meru. Saying, “Homage to the congregation*,” Lord Parsva sat down on the principal jeweled lion-throne, facing the east. At once by his power the Vyantara-gods created images of the Master in the other three directions. Gods, goddesses, men, women, sadhus, sadhvis bowed to the Master and remained in their usual places.
Then a gardener saw the Lord’s splendor, went to King Asvasena, bowed, and said: “By good-fortune you are prosperous today, master. Now Parsva Svarnin’s omniscience, which destroys the ignorance of the world, has arisen. Endowed with miraculous powers,246 attended by Sakra, et-cetera, the Lord of the World is seated now in a divine samavasarana.” Then the king gave him a suitable gift and he told Queen Vama with haste made by the desire to see him. Asvasena went with Queen Vama and his retinue to the samavasarana, a boat for the ocean of existence. After circumambulating the Lord and bowing to him, the king sat down behind Sakra, his mind filled with joy. After bowing to the Master again, his folded hands placed on his head, King Asvasena and Sakra began a hymn of praise.

Leave a comment