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6. Vardhaman - Education and Ordainment
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was talking to Bhagwan Mahavir's childhood friends at the
samosaran grounds in Kundagram who had just finished telling me about young Vardhaman's adventure with a cobra. I loved listening to stories about Mahavir as much as I enjoyed listening to him. His friends' shouts of “Vir Vardhaman” attracted others who quickly surrounded us.
I noticed that Mahavir's brother Nandivardhan was listening to the story. He had a serene smile on his face that was silently saying, 'Yes, that's my brother all right! Fearless!' His memories were coming alive, and he wanted to share them. How fortunate for me!
I approached Nandivardhan and said, “Dear Maharaja, you are the luckiest of all! You are the elder brother of the omniscient one. Mahavir has limitless vision and knowledge. Was he always like this? Who was his Guru? At which gurukul (school) was he educated?"
Nandivardhan had a big laugh. He said, “My venerated Swami, yes, Vardhaman was sent to a gurukul for his education, but who could teach him? He already had so much knowledge! He was not interested in what the gurukul had to offer. He did not want the education that is normally given to a prince. His focus was on the spiritual world, not the physical world! He went to school simply because my father insisted.
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