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"The great compassion of Lord Mahavira, the confluence of the terrible calamities caused by Sangamdeva.
Yoga Shastra, First Light, Verse 3 | 'How dare he stand here, being stubborn, defying me? How did he even dare to enter this forest? Therefore, I will burn him now. I will turn him to ashes.' Thus, burning with anger, the serpent raised its hood. It spat flames of poison from its mouth, and with a terrifying roar that scorched the trees, it fixed its gaze on the Lord. Its blazing eyes, like a meteor falling from the sky onto a mountain, fell upon the Lord's body, but just as the great wind cannot move Mount Meru, so too could it not harm the Lord in any way. 'Why hasn't this wood burned yet?' Thinking this, the serpent, burning with even greater anger, looked repeatedly towards the sun and then released more flames. But those flames too became like streams of water for the Lord. Therefore, the merciless serpent bit the Lord's lotus feet and spat its poison. Thus, it bit repeatedly, and then moved away, thinking, 'Perhaps this one will faint from my poison and fall upon me, crushing me.' Yet, the Lord was not affected by its poison in the slightest. From his thumb, bright, fragrant blood flowed like a stream of milk. After that, the serpent stared at the Lord in astonishment and thought, 'Who is this, upon whom my poison has no effect?' Later, seeing the wondrous form of Jagannath Mahavira, its eyes were dazzled by his radiance and gentleness. Knowing the serpent was calm, the Lord said to it, 'Chandakoushik! Even now, attain enlightenment, understand, awaken, do not be deluded.' Hearing these words of the Lord, the serpent, pondering them in its mind, remembered its past life - it regained its jati-smriti. Now, Chandakoushik was free from passions and calm. He circumambulated the Lord three times and mentally vowed to observe a fast. Seeing the great serpent, free from sinful deeds and immersed in the nectar of peace, accept the fast, the Lord instructed him, 'Vats! Do not go anywhere now, your eyes are filled with poison.' Hearing this, the serpent put its mouth into the bamboo and drank the nectar of equality. Out of compassion, the Lord also stayed there. Truly, the actions of great souls are for the benefit of others.'
Seeing the Lord in this state, the cowherds, their eyes wide with astonishment, rushed there. Hiding behind the trees, they took the stones and pebbles they had brought and mercilessly struck the serpent, who was like a great being. But seeing it unmoved and steady, they were convinced that it was peaceful. Then, they went near it and scratched its body with a piece of wood; yet, it remained still. The cowherds told this to the villagers, and they began to worship the Lord and the great serpent. The milkmaids, who were going to sell ghee on that path, began to smear ghee and butter on the Nagraj's body. The smell attracted sharp-biting ants, which bit and bit, making his body like a sieve. 'This pain is nothing compared to my cruel deeds,' thus reasoning with his soul, the great serpent began to endure that unbearable pain. 'These poor, weak ants might get crushed and die if I move around!' With this thought, the great serpent did not move its limbs even a little. Nourished by the merciful rain of the Lord's grace, and with a steady mind, the serpent died on the fifteenth day and became a god in the Vaimanika Devaloka, called Sahasrar.
Thus, the Lord Mahavira, the supreme Tirthankara, the unique brother of the three worlds, held the same attitude towards both the venomous serpent who inflicted various calamities upon him, and Indra, who worshipped him. ||2||
||3|| **Krtaparadhe'pi jane, kripamantharatarayoh. Ishd-bashpardrayoh bhadram, shrivirajinanetrayoh ||3||**
**Meaning:** May the eyes of Lord Mahavira, filled with compassion and moist with tears of mercy, be auspicious even for those beings who have committed offenses.
**Explanation:** The eyes of Lord Mahavira were filled with boundless compassion even for Sangamdeva and others who had committed offenses. His eyes, overflowing with great compassion within, were always wet with tears. Such were the eyes of Lord Mahavira."