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## The Prefix of the Cowherd
The first chapter of the Yoga Shastra, "First Light," states that the text became known as "Aindra Vyakaran" (Aindra Grammar) because Lord Mahavira instructed Indra in the art of language.
Despite his yearning for initiation, the Lord remained in his home for twenty-eight years, respecting his parents' wishes. After their passing, he expressed his desire to renounce worldly possessions and take monastic vows. His elder brother, Nandivardhan, pleaded with him, "Brother, I am alone and unable to bear the fresh grief of our parents' loss. Your presence provides me great comfort. Please do not speak such words, like sprinkling salt on a fresh wound." He tried to dissuade the Lord from taking initiation, but during this time, the Lord remained in Kayotsarga (meditation) even amidst the opulent surroundings of his palace, adorned with various ornaments and jewels. He maintained the conduct of a monk, consuming only uncooked food and water, adhering to the principles of a Sadhu's conduct. In this way, the Lord, with his vast aspirations, spent a year.
Then, the Lokantik Devas (celestial beings) approached the Lord, bowing down and saying, "Lord, the time for your initiation is near. Prepare yourself and establish a Tirtha (sacred place)."
Knowing his initiation was imminent, Lord Mahavira began to generously donate to the needy for a year. He considered the earth to be free from debt and renounced worldly wealth, equating it to a mere straw. In the second year, he relinquished all possessions. All the celestial beings of the various realms celebrated his initiation. A thousand Devas carried a palanquin named Chandra Prabha (Moon Light). The Lord sat within it and arrived at the garden known as Jnatrikhand. There, he renounced all worldly activities (pravrittis) and took initiation at the fourth watch of the day. At that moment, the Lord attained the fourth stage of knowledge, Manahparyaya Jnana (knowledge of the thoughts of all beings).
From there, the Lord continued his journey and stood in Kayotsarga, unwavering like Mount Meru, outside Kumaragram at dusk. That night, a cowherd, filled with unprovoked anger, became an enemy of the Lord and inflicted an Upasarg (severe affliction) upon him. Indra, with his Avadhi Jnana (clairvoyance), perceived the potential for increased suffering upon the Lord. He thought, "Just as a mouse attempts to dig through a great mountain, this wicked cowherd seeks to inflict harm upon the Lord." Driven by his devotion to the Lord's well-being, Indra appeared at the Lord's feet. The cowherd, like a bedbug, fled in fear. Indra circumambulated the Lord thrice, bowed his head in reverence, and prayed, "Lord, for twelve years, you will face a barrage of afflictions. I wish to remain at your feet and try to prevent these hardships."
Having completed his Kayotsarga, the Lord said to Indra, "Indra, an Arihant (liberated soul) never expects assistance from others."
Thereafter, the Lord Mahavira, with a coolness like the moon, a brilliance like the sun, a fiery intensity that could be seen with sorrow, a strength like an elephant, an unshakeable resolve like Mount Meru, an endurance like the earth, a depth like the ocean, a fearlessness like a lion, a fierce fire for the misguided, a solitary nature like a rhinoceros' horn, a strength like a great bull, controlled senses like a tortoise, a solitary vision like a serpent, a purity like a conch, a beautiful form like gold, a free flight like a bird, an uninterrupted movement like consciousness, a supportless nature like the sky, an unwavering focus like a Bharand bird, a detachment like a lotus leaf, with equanimity towards enemies and friends, grass and kingdom, gold and stone, jewel and dirt, this world and the next, pleasure and pain, the world and liberation, all things; with selfless compassion, ready to help; with mental strength, a savior of beings drowning in the ocean of existence, seeking their own liberation; unattached like the wind; the Jagadguru (world teacher) Mahavira, adorned with the ocean-like Karadhani (a type of garment), began to wander across the earth, adorned with numerous villages, cities, and forests.
While wandering, he once reached the southern region of Jabal. From there, he was traveling towards the city of Shwetaambika. On the way, some cowherds said, "O Devaraya! This path is indeed straight to Shwetaambika, but in between lies the deserted hermitage of Kanak Khal, a tapasvi (ascetic). There, a venomous serpent..."