Prof. Dr. Lawrence A. Babb
The puja of Parsvanath's five kalyanaks begins with the cyavan kalyanak, his descent from his previous existence as a god into a human womb.[1] The text for this sequence consists of three songs that recount Parsvanath's nine births prior to his final lifetime. This narrative centers on Parsvanath's relationship with Kamath, who is Parsvanath's transmigratory moral alter. Kamath's defects reverse Parsvanath's virtues, and Parsvanath's virtues provoke Kamath again and again into the gravest sins. The story of how this fateful relationship began is not covered in the text, but is well known to the rite's participants. Marubhuti (who will become Parsvanath in a later birth) and Kamath were once Brahman brothers. Marubhuti was a paragon of virtue who had accepted Jainism and spent his time in meditation and fasting. Kamath, much given to sensual pleasures, committed adultery with Marubhuti's wife. Marubhuti spied on the couple and reported Kamath's misdeed to the king. Kamath was punished, and Marubhuti was filled with regret. Marubhuti came to Kamath to beg forgiveness, and, while he was bowing, Kamath killed him with a stone.
It is at this point that the narrative begins. "Crooked Kamath attached to sensual vices," says the opening verse, "he killed his brother Marubhuti." As the text (which I summarize) continues, we learn how Marubhuti took his next birth as an elephant and was returned to the piety of his previous life by the king, who in the meantime had become an ascetic. Taking the form of a kukurt serpent (part snake, part cock), Kamath then murdered him again. Marubhuti was reborn as a god, while Kamath went to hell. In his next birth Marubhuti became a king named Kiranveg. He renounced the world, only to be murdered again by Kamath in the form of a snake. Marubhuti now became a god in the twelfth heaven, while Kamath descended to the fifth hell. In his next birth Marubhuti was a king named Vajnabh. He again renounced the world, and Kamath, in the form of a Bhil (a member of a particular tribe), killed him with an arrow. Marubhuti then became a god in one of the highest heavens, and Kamath descended to the seventh hell.
Marubhuti's eighth birth was announced by the fourteen dreams that herald the birth of a cakravartin (or a Tirthankar), and he became an emperor named Svarnbahu. This birth was decisive, for after renouncing the world and performing the bis sthanaktapasya[2] he acquired the karma that would result in a future birth as a Tirthankar (tirthankarpad nam-karm). Wicked Kamath, this time in the form of a lion, murdered him again. In his next birth Marubhuti became a god in the tenth heaven, and Kamath fell once again to hell. As a god, Marubhuti worshiped Tirthankar images in Nandisvar Dvip (a continent, inaccessible to humans, where there are temples in which the gods worship Tirthankar images) and served ascetics. Although he experienced enjoyment, his mind remained detached; he was like the lotus, says the text, that remains separate from the slime in which it grows. Unlike other gods, the text observes, a Tirthankar-to-be does not grieve when he learns of his death six months before. He rejoices because he knows that after his human rebirth will come liberation. The narrative pauses here. It is time for the first offerings.
Meritorious action (punya) and sin (pap) are important themes in the story thus far. Virtue is rewarded by rebirth in heaven; sin brings the miseries of hell. The wretched Kamath's career is the mirror opposite of Marubhuti's. Drawn by his hatred into a transmigratory career of crime (of which we have not yet seen the end), Kamath repeatedly falls into hell. It should be noted, however, that even Tirthankars-to-be can suffer the pains of hell. During the twenty-seven births leading up to his Tirthankarhood, Mahavir did two terms in hell, one in the seventh hell. There is, therefore, a higher point to the tale, which is that the value of world renunciation transcends mere questions of sin and virtue. Heaven's joys are transient (as are hell's agonies). Although his virtues bring him stupendous worldly and heavenly enjoyments, wise Marubhuti remains indifferent, and this is what brings him to final victory.
The text thus introduces us to a central problematic in the Jain view of things. Religious practice (such as this rite itself) generates that "good karma" known as "merit" (punya). Merit brings worldly rewards (the world, of course, includes heaven). But no karma is ever really "good," and these rewards are of no ultimate value. Thus one must - even in their midst - strive to aim beyond them. The Tirthankar exemplifies what it means to succeed in this endeavor. This is a theme that we will encounter repeatedly in this book.
At the end of these verses comes the poet's signature line, and a short Sanskrit verse recapitulating the main themes of the preceding text, followed by a formula (a Sanskrit mantra) of offering. The recapitulative Sanskrit verse and the offering formula are standard preliminaries to the offering itself. At this point a gong is sounded, and the required ritual actions are then performed by the puja principal or principals (in the observed case, a single individual). A small amount of water is poured on a folded cloth: this is an abbreviated bathing of the image. The image is then anointed with sandalwood paste. The leftmost flag is gar-landed, and incense and a lamp are proffered. A svastik is formed from rice (taken from the platter) atop the one already drawn on the table's surface in front of the flag. On this is placed a coconut to which a cloth and a currency note have been tied with a ceremonial string. In this context the coconut is called "sriphal," and, according to informants, it stands for auspiciousness, for good results. Sweets and fruits are then arranged around the coconut. With this the cyavan kalyanak is complete.
Before resuming, it should be noted that the edibles and other offerings made in these sequences are never returned to the offerers. This point is exceedingly important and will be explored in greater detail later.
Next comes the janam kalyanak, the Lord's birth. The text resumes. Parsvanath is born in Banaras; his mother is Queen Vama, his father King Asvasen. "Blessed is the city of Banaras," the opening couplet proclaims; "blessed is king Asvasen / Blessed is the virtuous Queen Vama, because they obtained the Lord." The text then tells of how the queen experienced the fourteen auspicious dreams that always precede the birth of a Tirthankar: first an elephant, then a bull, a lion, the goddess Sri, and ten other highly auspicious visions.[3] A reader of dreams pronounced that they heralded wonderful things to come.
These dreams are of crucial importance. Although the text does not elaborate the point, it is well understood that they have a double meaning. They indicate that the child-to-be will become a cakravartin, a universal emperor, but they also can be taken to mean that he will be a Tirthankar. This is a matter to which we shall return.
Lord Indra (one of the sixty-four kings of the gods, in this case the ruler of the first Jain heaven) then rose from his lion-throne and saluted the child-to-be as the "self-enlightened Lord, light and benefactor of the world." The Lord was born, the text says, on the tenth day of the dark fortnight of Paus. The fifty-six goddesses known as Dikkumaris performed chores associated with childbirth. The sixty-four Indras then took the infant to Mount Meru and there performed his birth ablution (abhisek). At this point this portion of the text ends. The usual Sanskrit verse and formula of offering are repeated, and the gong is sounded. The ritual acts are performed exactly as before, but this time the garland, lamp, and other items are offered at the position of the second flag from the left.
The Lord's diksa, his initiation as an ascetic, comes next. The text continues, and the narrative now shifts to Parsvanath's childhood. He was beloved by the people. He possessed the three jnans of mati, srut, and avadhi.[4] He sucked nectar from his thumb. Youth and adolescence passed, and he married the princess Prabhavati. Wicked Kamath appeared again, this time as a fraudulent Brahman ascetic performing the five-fire penance. Having arrived at the scene with his mother, Parsvanath saw a cobra hiding in one of the pieces of burning wood. "Tell me how," he asked the ascetic, "austerities accompanied by violence can be fruitful?" He then removed a pair of half-burnt cobras from the wood (in other accounts only one snake is removed). He repeated the namaskarrnantra, and the now-enlightened cobras became the guardian deities Dharnendra and Padmavati.[5] Kamath fled, died, and became a demonlike being named Meghmalin.
The text now turns to the initiation. One spring season Parsvanath saw a picture of Neminath's wedding party, and his mind turned to thoughts of world renunciation.[6] The Lokantik gods urged him to renounce the world, to teach, and to redeem those who were capable of liberation. He gave gifts for a year. The gods and kings then took him to the garden named Asrampad, and there he fasted for three days and obtained the fourth jnan (the mind-reading ability acquired by all arhats at the time of initiation). With three hundred men he took initiation, and the gods gave him his ascetic garb.[7] The gods celebrated the initiation kalyanak and went to Nandisvar to worship the eternal Tirthankar images there. The signature line is followed by the Sanskrit stanza and offering formula. The ritual actions are performed as before, but this time at the position of the third flag from the left.
Next is kevaljnan, the Lord's achievement of omniscience. The text resumes. The Lord wandered from place to place, totally devoid of attachments, and took his first post-fast meal in the house of a rich man named Dhan. He came one day to the forest named Kadambri, and there once again met Kamath, now Meghmalin. Meghmalin tried to break his concentration. He conjured up the forms of a lion and a snake, but the Lord was undisturbed. Clouds then thickened and surged, lightning cracked, rain fell like missiles, and the world began to flood. The water rose to Parsvanath's nose, but his concentration was still unshaken. The throne of Dharnendra began to shake, and by means of avadhijnan (clairvoyant knowledge) he saw his Lord's danger. He and Padmavati then saved Parsvanath from the flood. Here the text is referring to the famous incident, known to virtually all Jains, in which Dharnendra, aided by Padmavati, rescues the Tirthankar by raising him from the water on a lotus and protecting him from the pelting rainfall with his multiple cobra hoods (see Figure 2). Dharnendra then rebuked Kamath. Humbled at last, Kamath "took the shelter of Parsvanath's feet"; that is, he became Parsvanath's devotee.
The text continues. For eighty-four days the Lord remained an ascetic; on the fourth of the dark fortnight of the lunar month of Caitra (March/April), while under the dhataki tree, he obtained kevaljnan. He advanced through the gunasthans and cut the ghatikarmas. He manifested the eight pratiharyas (miraculous signs of Tirthankarhood). After the signature line of the final hymn come the Sanskrit verse and formula of offering. The ritual acts are performed, this time at the position of the fourth flag.
Fifth and last is the nirvankalyanak, the Lord's liberation (nirvan). The previous kalyanaks have all had three songs; this time there are only two. The text resumes. The Lord sat and preached in the place of assembly of humans, gods, and animals (samvasaran). His parents came to hear his teachings and took initiation themselves. Subh (Subhdatt) and his other chief disciples appeared. The Lord brought enlightenment to ascetics and nonascetics, men and women. The text now reiterates the story of his last lifetime: for thirty years he was a householder, and an ascetic for eighty-three days; he spent sixty-nine years, nine months, and seven days in the condition of kevaljnan. He knew he would live one hundred years. He spent his last rainy season retreat (caturmas) on the peak of Samet mountain. Thirty-three ascetics were with the Lord; together they fasted for one month. On the eighth of the bright half of the lunar month of Sravan (July/August) he attained liberation. The gods came, their hearts filled with joy and sorrow; they celebrated the kalyanak with cries of victory.
Figure 2.
Parsvanath with Dharnendra and Padmavati. From a framing picture obtained in Ahmedabad. Courtesy of Premchand P. Goliya.
The author signs, the usual verse and offering formula are repeated, and the ritual actions are performed, this time at the position of the fifth flag. This is the conclusion of the ceremony, except for a final sequence called kalas (in which participants toss colored rice and flower petals at the image and water is poured at the four corners of the ceremony's site) and two lamp offerings (arati and mangal dip), which are standard exit-acts for all important rites of worship.
