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The Throne of Spikes, Initiation
Yoga Shastra, Second Light, Verse 101
"How can noble women live through the loss of dharma and the calamity that befalls their husbands?" In response to this, the king's guards took Sudarshan to the place of execution and placed him on the spikes. For servants, the king's orders are terrible and inviolable. But in the blink of an eye, the spikes were replaced by a golden lotus throne! Even Yama, the god of death, is humbled in the face of divine power. Still, the king's men, determined to execute Sudarshan, struck him with a sharp sword. But as the sword touched his neck, it transformed into a garland of flowers. Seeing this miraculous event, the king's men rushed to inform the king. Upon hearing the entire story, the king immediately mounted his elephant and arrived at the scene. Seeing Sudarshan, the king embraced him and said with remorse, "I am deeply ashamed that I, a sinner, falsely accused you and defamed you. 'Shreshthi! Your merit was so powerful that even a hair could not be harmed. By doing this, I have greatly wronged you. But you have upheld your righteous dharma. Forgive me.' Trusting a deceitful woman, I ordered your execution; therefore, there is no sinner in the world except this Dadhivahan. Another reason for this terrible sin committed by me is that 'I repeatedly asked you about this, but you did not answer at all. Tell me, what else can I, a simpleton, decide on this?' Whatever it may be, get on the elephant." The king placed Sudarshan on the elephant and, while conversing, took him to his palace. He had him bathed, adorned with clothes and ornaments, and then, taking him aside, requested him to recount the events of the night in detail. Seth Sudarshan narrated the entire incident truthfully. Upon hearing this, the king was enraged at the queen and was ready to punish her. Sudarshan immediately fell at the king's feet and begged him not to do so. The king then pardoned the queen. Afterwards, the righteous king, placing Seth Sudarshan on an elephant, escorted him home with honor, amidst music and fanfare, through the heart of the city.
The queen, upon realizing the truth, was deeply remorseful. She hanged herself. "The sinner who commits adultery falls of his own accord." The pandita also fled from there and reached Pataliputra Nagar, where she stayed with Devadattaganika. She constantly praised Sudarshan in front of Devadatta; this aroused a strong desire in Devadatta's heart to see Sudarshan. Sudarshan, renouncing the world, took monastic initiation. Like the ocean, known as the Ratnakar, is a treasure trove of jewels, so too, the Gunaratnakar, with the permission of his guru, became thin-bodied through penance. Sudarshan Muni, a solitary ascetic, carrying an image, wandered from village to village and reached Pataliputra. While he was wandering through the city for alms, the pandita suddenly saw him and requested him to accept alms. The selfless and detached muni, without considering gain or loss, went to her place for the sake of pure alms. Devadatta closed the door and, throughout the day, tempted him with various allurements. But the muni did not waver even slightly from his great vows. Knowing the muni to be steadfast, Devadatta opened the door in the evening and dismissed him. The muni went straight to a garden where the queen had died and become a Vyantari. Upon seeing Sudarshan Muni, she remembered the events of her previous life and began to torment the equanimous muni in various ways. Truly, the debt and enmity of beings do not end even after countless births. Vyantari greatly harassed the great-souled Sudarshan, but he, through the yoga of auspicious contemplation, attained the state of A-puurvakarana. Gradually ascending the क्षपकश्रेणि, he attained brilliant Kevalgyan right there. Immediately, the gods and demons celebrated the Kevalgyan festival there. Sudarshan Muni, the Kevalgyani, the savior of beings trapped in the ocean of existence, preached dharma. The rise of great men is for the rise of the people. Their dharma preaching not only benefited other beings, but also Devadatta, the pandita, and Vyantari (Abhaya). Sudarshan Muni was one whose soul was not tainted even when he was near women! By preaching his auspicious dharma, he enlightened countless beings and gradually attained the supreme abode. For a person who obtains the Jineendra dharma-shastra and has devotion and love for it, attaining liberation is not difficult. This is the essence of the story of Sudarshan Muni. || 101 ||
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