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Seventh Study: Sakdalputra
[173] Having become, nurturing, protecting, supporting them and bringing them to the vast enclosure of liberation. Sakdalputra! Therefore, I call the Shraman Bhagwan Mahavira the Mahagopa.
Goshalak said again, Devanupriya! Did the Mahasarthavaha come here? Sakdalputra-Mahasarthavaha, whom do you call? Goshalak-Sakdalputra! Shraman Bhagwan Mahavira is the Mahasarthavaha. Sakdalputra-How?
Goshalak-Devanupriya! In this terrifying forest of the world, many beings are perishing, decaying, (being consumed, pierced, broken, stolen) and being destroyed, protecting them through the path of Dharma, leading them on the path of Dharma, supporting them and bringing them to the great city of liberation. Sakdalputra! With this intention, I call them the Mahasarthavaha.
Goshalak-Devanupriya! Did the Maha Dharmakathi come here? Sakdalputra-Devanupriya! Who is the Maha Dharmakathi? (Whom do you mean?) Goshalak-Shraman Bhagwan Mahavira is the Maha Dharmakathi. Sakdalputra-In what sense is Shraman Bhagwan Mahavira the Maha Dharmakathi?
Goshalak-Devanupriya! In this vast world, many beings are perishing, decaying, being consumed, pierced, stolen, being destroyed, going astray, corrupted from the righteous path, afflicted by falsehood, covered by the veil of eight types of karma-like darkness, explaining to them the truth in many ways, analyzing, supporting them and taking them out of the terrifying forest of the world, which is the four-devas, humans, animals, and hellish realms. Therefore, Devanupriya! I call them the Maha Dharmakathi.
Goshalak asked again-Devanupriya! Did the Mahaniryamka come here? Sakdalputra-Devanupriya! Who is the Mahaniryamka? Goshalak-Shraman Bhagwan Mahavira is the Mahaniryamka. Sakdalputra-How?
Goshalak-Devanupriya! In the great ocean of the world, many beings are perishing, decaying, and being destroyed, drowning, diving, flowing, supporting them and taking them to the shore of liberation by the Dharma-filled boat. Therefore, I call them the Mahaniryamka-helmsman or the great ferryman. Discussion
In this sutra, many adjectives have been used to indicate the many qualities of Bhagwan Mahavira, among them are 'Mahagopa' and 'Mahasarthavaha'. Both of these are very important.