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[ Gatha pati Ananda
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THE TENTH CHATURMASA AND THE
GATHAPATI ANANDA Lord Mahavira reached Vanijyagaon towards the beginning of the Rainy Season and stayed there for his tenth Chaturmasa. There lived a Gatha-pati named Ananda, in the village. He was a follower of Keshi Shramana and had practised every two day's fast throughout his life. At the time of penance, he stood facing the sun in the hottest sunshine. As a result of his austerities, his Karmas which obstructed his clairvoyant knowledge ( Avadhi-Jnanavaraniya Karmas ) were exhausted; and, in the end, he had attained clairvoyance. One day he chanced to see the Lord. He prostrated before him and said “Lord ! you deserve great praise. No powerful and strong willed man of today is able to bear the physical and mental sufferings which you have borne so patiently and cheerfully up to this time. You are peerless in the quality of forgiveness, and the peculiarity is that you care a fig for your body as well as your life.” Thus having praised the Lord, Ananda went back to his own place. At the colse of the Rainy Season, Lord Mahavira, too, resumed his Vihara and come to a village named Yashtika.
SEVERAL ABHIGRAHAS ( VOLUNTARY RESTRICTIONS) UNDERTAKEN IN
VILLAGE YASHTIKA.
The first penance that Lord Mahavira undertook to practise in village Yashtika was Bhadra. In this penance, food and water are left for two days. During the first day, Lord Mahavira stood in meditation facing to the east and
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