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12
Kummāputtachariam Then the omniscient sage, too, seeing that it was the proper occasion preached a religious sermon similar to the the stream of nectar putting all of them under great obligation in the following words :-(71)
“That individual, who being capable of getting release, and having got human existence, becomes carelss in religious practice, drops into the ocean the Desire-yielding-gem which, in fact he has got. (72)
To illustrate this—In a great city there was once, a merchant skilled in various arts. He studied at the house of the preceptor the book on the test of gems. (73)
By learning how to test gems, that clever merchant came to know all the marks, qualities, colours, names and whereabouts of Saugandhika, Karketana, Marakata, Gomeda, Indranīta, Jalakānta, Sūryakānta, Masāragalla, Anka, Sphatika and many other gems. (74-75).
Once, the merchant thought to himself "what is the use of other gems ? The Desire-yielding-gem is the crest-gem of all gems accomplishing, as it does, the object of thought." (76)
Then, for obtaining that gem he dug mines at various places; but, he was not able to find it with all his various efforts. (77)
Then some one said to him 'get into a ship and sail to Ratnadvīpa; there is the goddess named Āśapurī who will give you your desired object. (78)
He went to that Ratnadvīpa and propitiated that Goddess by twenty one fasts. Pleased with that, she said unto him—(79)
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