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elephant was caught in the swamp. With every effort to come out he went deeper into it. The Kurkut serpent saw the helpless elephant. And at once the feelings of vengeance from past birth surfaced. Hissing in anger, the serpent drove its fangs into the head of the elephant. The strong poison spread all over the elephant's body. With the help of his Jati-smaran-jnana (memories of past birth) the elephant recognized the flying serpent-'This is my brother Kamath. I had harmed him during the past birth, that is why he has bitten me. He is an ignorant who is governed by hatred and keeps on multiplying animosity with animosity.'
He then thought-'I have to avoid anger. I will pacify anger with the water of forgiveness. If I endure pain calmly I will have a noble future life.'
For many days the hungry and thirsty elephant remained trapped in the swamp. Intense sun rays from the top and burning sensation of the poison inside the body, but he still remained calm and composed. Chanting Namokar Mantra with equanimity he died and reincarnated as a divine being in the eighth heaven.
BHAGAVAN PARSHVA NAATH
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