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PART IV STORIES DURING BHAGAWÄN MAHÄVIR
22-Nails in the Ears: Last Calamity for Bhagawan Mahavir
Twelve years of meditation and penance passed with great success for Lord Mahävir. His life was exemplary. He put forth unsurpassable examples of truth, non-violence, forgiveness, compassion, fearlessness, yoga and true knowledge.
In the thirteenth year he faced another calamity. Near the village of Shammani, he stood in a meditation posture. Just like at the beginning of his asceticism, he met a cowherd who left his oxen in the care of Lord Mahävir.
The cowherd went into the village and returned a little later. The oxen had drifted away while grazing. Not finding his oxen, he asked, "Ascetic, where are my oxen?"
Mahävir was in deep meditation and unaware of all this. The cowherd asked again, and once again he did not get a response. He was irritated and shouted, "You hypocrite! Are you deaf? Don't you hear anything?"
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A cowherd hammering thorns in Bhagawän Mahävir's ears
JAIN STORY BOOK
