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They were at least eight years old. Lord Mahavira did not give priority to age from the perspective of spiritual practice. A seeker who is qualified, even if he is young in terms of age, can become a monk. Lord Mahavira had initiated Ati Muktak Kumar only after observing his inner qualifications. There have been hundreds of such brilliant seekers in Jain history who, in their childhood, took the initiation of Ahuti Diksha and made a vast impact on Jainism. The fourteen-time-born Acharya Shayambhav initiated his son Manak52, and Arya Singhgiri initiated Vajraswami in their childhood. Acharya Hemchandra Upadhyay Yashovijayji etc. were also child initiates. Acharya Samrat Anand Rishiji M., Yuvacharya Shri Madhukar Muni Ji etc. also became monks at the tender age of nine or ten. There is no prohibition of such initiation anywhere in the Agam literature or subsequent literature. There is a prohibition of unqualified initiation. Nishita Bhashya53 prohibits giving initiation to a child at a very young age and the reasons given for it are more related to unqualified initiation. There is a similar prohibition in the Buddhist text Mahavagga54. Nishita Bhashya55 further allows initiation to a qualified child, even if he is young, because children are not only foolish but also intelligent, they are also endowed with strong talent, who have changed the pages of history. The story of Ati Muktak Muni is a vivid example of this fact. Ati Muktak Kumar said to his parents - "Respected ones! I know my immense power. I can walk smiling on embers and I can also walk on spikes. I know that whoever is born will surely die, but I do not know when and how I will die." In the face of his arguments, his parents also became silent.
_ Bhagavati56 Sutra contains an incident from Ati Muktak Muni's monastic life - Ati Muktak Muni goes out with the elders for the purpose of defecation. It had rained some time ago, so the water was flowing fast. Seeing the flowing water, his childhood memories surfaced. He built a mud dam to stop the flow of water. He left his vessel in it. He was overjoyed and said - 'My boat is anchored, my boat is anchored'. The wind was blowing merrily. Ati Muktak's boat was swaying. Nature was smiling. But how could the elders tolerate this act contrary to the monastic code? The anger within was reflected on their faces. Ati Muktak immediately recovered. He began to repent within himself for his mistake. Repentance made him holy.
The Lord said to the elders - Ati Muktak Muni will be liberated in this very life. The Lord said in a very sweet voice - Do not rebuke, criticize or condemn him. He is a pure soul. He is young in age but his soul is higher than the Himalayas.
In the seventh and eighth chapters, there is a description of Emperor Shrenik's twenty queens, Nanda, Nandavati, Nandottra, Nandshrenika etc., who, influenced by the holy sermons of Lord Mahavira, accepted the monastic dharma, studied the eleven angas and performed such excellent austerities that even reading them makes one's hair stand on end. With comforts
52. Parishishta Parva-Sarg 5, Acharya Hemchandra 53. Nishita Bhashya 11, -3531. 32 54. Mahavagga-1. 41-92, p. 80-81, compare. 55. Nishita Bhashya 11-3537. 39 56. Bhagavati Shatak 5. Udd. 4
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