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## Sixth Stage
**With Hindi Commentary**
**Or -** For three days, with great effort, and for nine months, with excellence, he should wander. This is the ninth **Uvasaga-Padima** (Upaasaka-Pratima).
**Original Meaning -** After this, the ninth Pratima is explained. The one who accepts this Pratima has an interest in all religions. He remains a celibate throughout the night and day. He abandons food and drink with awareness, and the initiation of eating and causing others to eat, but he does not abandon dedicated food. Through this type of wandering, he should worship this Pratima for at least one, two, or three days, and with excellence, for up to nine months. This is the ninth Upaasaka-Pratima.
**Commentary -** This Sutra does not explain the subject of the Pratima. The person who accepts this Pratima has an interest in all religions and follows all the rules up to the eighth Pratima. He does not abandon dedicated food, meaning he does not abandon the food prepared for the Shravaka, but rather accepts it. However, he neither initiates eating himself nor causes others to eat. But he has not abandoned the permission to eat, which is why he accepts dedicated food. Because although he entrusts the entire burden of the household to his capable son, etc., he still has affection for them and gives them permission from time to time. He worships the ninth Pratima for up to nine months. However, if he dies before nine months or takes initiation, then the time of the Pratima should be considered insignificant.
If it is asked, "What is the etymological and clear meaning of 'Uddishta-Bhakta'?" In the solution, it is said, "Uddishtam uddeshas tena kritam vihitam uddishta-kritam, tadartham sanskritamityarthaha. Tad cha - uddishta-krita-bhaktam, madhyamapadalopaduddishta-bhaktamiti bhavati. Tattasya pratimakartuh aparijnatam - apratyakhyatam bhavati, svamuddishya sanskritam bhakta-panam paribhogannayatiyarthaha." Meaning, he does not abandon the food made for him, but accepts it. It is not forbidden for the ninth Pratima-bearer.