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LIFE OF MAHÁVÍRA.
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fully apprehended the matter she had laid before him, glad and delighted; placing the dream fully before his mind, engaged in deep reflection, taxing all his powers till by an intellect that could look into all times, and a reason that comprehended all relations, he came to a full comprehension of the meaning of the dream, when he thus addressed Devanandi: “O beloved of the gods, you have seen a dream foreboding prosperity ; beloved of the gods, a most fortunate dream ; beloved of the gods, a pleasure-giving dream; a dream the source of felicity. This much is most certain, yes at the end of nine full months and seven and a half nights, a child shall be born with well-shaped hands and feet, perfect in every member of his body, with every lucky mark, mole, and characteristict,
* Like as in our fortnight and se'ennight, we have here time reckoned by nights.
+ The commentator says that a Tirthankar has a hundred and eight marks, but other lucky persons have some or all of the following thirty-two on the palms of the hands or soles of the feet:-A large umbrella, a lotus, a bow, chariot, club, tortoise, goad, well, the mark Svastica, a garland, tank, lion, tree, quoit, conch, an elephant, the sea, a temple, fish, grain of barley, plough, post, pitcher, king, leather-dresser, mirror, bull, flag, the goddess Lakshmi, a string of flowers, a peacock. Red nails, feet, hands, tongue, lips, palate, and eyes, he also tells us are unlucky. A man who has the forehead, breast, and mouth all large, will be a king. Such are some of the elements of the Jain palmistry and occult sciences.
