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## The Severe Affliction Inflicted Upon Lord Mahavira by Sangamdeva
**May the eyes of Sudhama be blessed.** This means that we offer our salutations to the Lord who is endowed with such powerful yoga. To confirm this statement, we are presenting an account from the life of Lord Mahavira.
**The Great Compassion of Lord Mahavira:**
While traveling from village to village and city to city, Lord Mahavira once arrived at "Dridhbhoomi," a land inhabited by Mlechchha tribes. After performing the austerity of the eighth-fold rejection of attachments (tele), he entered a temple called "Polash" in the forest of "Pedhal" near the village of "Pedhal." He ascended a comfortable stone platform, stood with his hands outstretched to his knees, his body bent, his steady mind focused, his eyes open, and remained in a state of deep meditation for the entire night.
At that time, in the assembly of Saudharma, Indra, the king of the gods, who was seated on his throne, surrounded by eighty-four thousand ordinary gods, thirty-three Trayastrimsa, three Parishadya, four Lokapala, countless scattered gods, and eighty-four thousand guardian gods with armor and weapons all around their bodies, seven commanders, Abhiyogika, Kilvishika, and other gods and goddesses, all adorned with three types of musical instruments, enjoying a joyous time, became aware of the Lord's state through his divine knowledge. He immediately stood up, discarded his sandals, donned his upper garment, placed his right foot on the ground, raised his left foot slightly, bowed his head to the earth, and began to praise the Lord with the Shakrastava (Namutthunan). Indra's entire body was filled with joy. Standing up, he addressed the entire assembly, saying, "O noble gods of the Saudharma heaven! I will tell you about the extraordinary glory of Lord Mahavira, listen. The holder of the five committees, purified by the three secrets, the one who controls anger, pride, delusion, and greed, the one who is without refuge, the one who is indifferent to wealth, territory, time, and emotions, the one who remains steadfast in Kayotsarga (meditation) by focusing his gaze on a tree or a single particle, no one, whether a god, a demon, a Yaksha, a Rakshasa, a Naga, a human, or anyone in the three realms, can distract him from his meditation."
Upon hearing Indra's words, a proud, arrogant, ordinary god named Sangam, with a furrowed brow, fierce eyes, lips chewing in anger, and red eyes, spoke, "O Indra! To praise a human being so highly and elevate him to such a lofty peak is a result of your free-willed authority in the debate of truth and falsehood. It is impossible that even gods cannot distract a person from the mortal realm. Therefore, how can such a boastful statement about the master be held in the heart? Even if it is held, how can it be revealed to everyone? The Meru mountain, which is as tall as the sky and reaches down to the roots of the underworld, which gods can lift like a pebble with two hands, which can submerge the entire earth along with the mountains, which can make the vast ocean like a small river, which can effortlessly lift the massive earth burdened with countless mountains with its club, what is a human being in front of such extraordinary powers, great valor, and the ability to achieve anything simply by wishing? I will go to the person praised by Indra and distract him from his meditation." Saying this, he struck the earth with his hand and stood in the assembly hall. Indra tried to reason with him, explaining that the Arihantdeva performs his unbroken austerities without the help of others, but when he did not understand even a little, Indra ignored the foolish god. The foolish god, being stubborn, left to distract the Lord. Due to his departure, the wind blew fiercely, scattering the clouds. His ferocious form made him appear terrifying. Apsaras (celestial nymphs) moved out of his way in fear. He seemed to have gathered the celestial bodies by colliding with them with his vast chest.
Thus, the wicked god arrived where the Lord was standing in meditation, absorbed in his image. Seeing the peaceful Lord Jagabandhu Shrivira in this way without any reason, he became even more envious. First, the wicked god showered the Jagadguru Mahavira with an immeasurable amount of dust. Just as Rahu covers the moon, and the clouds cover the sun, he covered the entire body of the Lord with a shower of dust. The dust falling from all sides closed the doors of his five senses, and his breathing became obstructed. Still, the Jagadguru did not move even a little. Can elephants ever...