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I replied, “I know this through experience. I feel the joy that arises out of a progressively enlightened soul.”
My friend wanted to know more. "Would you feel the same joy by taking penances to the extreme to a point where you are near death?"
I did not know how to answer that. I had never taken myself to that extreme and had no knowledge about it. I decided to ask Bhagwan Mahavir who had the omniscient knowledge.
“Bhagwant, what does one gain by extreme penance?"
Mahavir could sense the turmoil in me and asked me to sit down. Bhagwan usually tells illustrative stories, or narrates actual incidents to answer such questions. I have collected literally thousands of such stories.
"Have you heard of Taamali of Tamralipti?” Mahavir replied by asking a counter question.
"You mean the monk who fasted himself to death? All I know is that his body mysteriously disappeared from the spot where he died, but was later found somewhere else in a very bad shape. Terrible! Who could have done such horrible insult to his body? He was so well revered by the people of Tamralipti."
"Indeed he was revered and worshipped by the people”, said Mahavir, “but people do not know the whole story.”
“Pray, tell me the story, Bhagwant!" I pleaded.
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