Vardhaman146;s birth

It was a fine spring night in 599 BC on the northern banks of the Ganga. The Lichhavis, a proud royal clan, slept peacefully as sweet, cool ...

It was a fine spring night in 599 BC on the northern banks of the Ganga. The Lichhavis, a proud royal clan, slept peacefully as sweet, cool breezes blew and the moon shone silver. It was the trayodashi of Chaitra shuklapaksha, or the thirteenth of the bright lunar half of the month of Chaitra.

The moon conjoined with the 8216;victory8217; nakshatra of Uttaraphalguni. In the antahpura of Raja Siddhartha, a scion of the Ikshvaku dynasty of Lord Ram himself, a baby boy was born to Queen Priyakarini Trishla, a princess of Videha. They say that the royal baby whose birth was preceded by many auspicious dreams in his mother8217;s sleep radiated light and joy. Suffering souls in the netherworld forgot their pain. The hungry and parched felt as though they had just banqueted. As the fragrant breeze blew stronger, a new, healing calm spread through earth. Quarrels ceased, as hostility was crowded out by a surge of goodwill. The sick and long-suffering suddenly felt much better. An orphaned lamb nuzzled up to a lioness and a cobra spread its hood protectively over a baby mongoose.

According to the Jain Kalpasutra, fifty-six divine maidens from all directions, the Disha Kumaris, cleaned up after the birth. Shakrendra, king of the celestials, bore the baby away to the summit of Mount Meru, bathed him in heavenly spring water and anointed him with pure, sweet oil, while the celestials sang. At the first blush of dawn, a slave named Priyamvada was sent to tell the king of the birth of his son.

Overjoyed, Raja Siddharth took off whatever jewellry he wore except the emblems of state and bestowed them on Priyamvada. He also released her from bondage, as a reward for being the bearer of such good tidings. The slave girl thanked him tearfully, but the king wasn8217;t done yet. He asked his prime minister to announce a general amnesty, free all prisoners, distribute food, clothes and money to the poor, old and disabled, write off all debts and allow a fifty per cent subsidy on all purchases from traders.

A great wave of happiness engulfed the people when the king8217;s goodwill bestowed so many practical benefits on their lives. Such munificence was instantly rewarded by a leap in productivity, a drop in crime and a flow of tributes from neighbouring clans as the good vibrations spread. As the 8216;Naamkaran8217; on the twelfth day after the baby8217;s birth approached, Raja Siddharth consulted Queen Trishla on the important matter of the prince8217;s name.

8220;Since the moment he was born, even in these few days, our wealth, power and happiness have just gone on rising. I think we should name our son 8216;Vardhaman8217; ever-increasing8221;, he said.

8220;It8217;s a perfect name!8221; smiled the queen. And it was.