Cosmography and Geography in Early Indian Literature c6.s2.35

c6.s2.35

Trayastriṃśa, also called Tridaśa or Tridiva, which Śakra rules together with Cāturmāhārājika, was originally the abode of the Asuras. But, when Māgha was born as Śakra, he made the Asuras intoxicated and hurled them down to the foot of Mount Sumeru where the Asura-bhavana soon developed. It is said that the Pāricchatraka (Pārijāta) tree grows in Trayastriṃśa and the Citrapāṭali in the Asura-bhavana. To save Trayastriṃśa from Asura attacks, Śakra built five walls around it, which are guarded by the Nāgas, Suparṇas, Kumbhāṇḍas, Yakṣas and the Cāturmāhārājika gods Dhṛtarāṣṭra and others. The entrance of Trayastriṃśa is by the way of the Citrakūṭadvāra-koṣṭhaka, which has Indra-like guards on either side.³⁰ The main features of Trayastriṃśa, which is 10,000 yojanas in extent, are 1000 prāsādas including the Vaijayanta, the four parks including Nandana (or Nandā), the Pāricchatra (Pārijāta) tree, the elephant Airāvata, the assembly hall Sudharmā, the Pāricchatraka (Pārijāta) flower of the Kovidāra kind and the Karkaru flower. The Āśāvātī creeper, which blossoms once in 1000 years, grows in the Citralatā-vana. Gautama the Buddha, while visiting Tryastriṃśa to preach Abhidharma to his mother who had been born there as a Devaputra, covered the distance of 68,000 yojanas between the earth and Trayastriṃśa in three strides, as we have seen above, placing his foot once on the Yugandhara and again on the Sumeru. The Buddha, seated on Śakra's throne (called Pāṇḍukambala-śilāsana) under the Pāricchatraka tree, preached to 80 crores of Devas, though usually the inhabitants of Trayastriṃśa, who met at the Sudharmā hall, are said to be 33 in number. Among rulers conveyed to Trayastriṃśa, Māndhātṛ reigned as co-ruler of Śakra for 60,000 years covering the life period of 36 Śakras. The gods (e.g. Śakra, Viśvakarman and Mātali) and goddesses of Trayastriṃśa often visit the earth and the latter usually bathe in the Anuttapta lake and spend time on the Manaḥśilātala.³¹ There is no female among the 33 gods; but the dove-footed Apsarases of Trayastriṃśa are famous for their beauty. The capital of this heaven is Masakrasāra. The average age of a Trayastriṃśa god is 30 million human years. These gods are most handsome, their stature being ¾ of a yojana and their upper and under garment each 12 yojanas. They live in gold mansions, 30 yojanas in extent. A mansion would appear in Trayastriṃśa when a man performs an exceptionally meritorious deed and would remain vacant till his death. Each day in Trayastriṃśa is equal to one hundred human years.