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252
The Unknown Pilgrims
commencing several years in advance. 335 This was the case with Sadhvi Sri Kallû, herself the mother of three munis, whose fast lasted eleven years. 336 In the case of others, it is recorded how they left this earth in samādhi-marana, departure in joy, having attained a state of spiritual awakening and awareness of being. Again, others among them passed away in pandita-maraṇa, that is to say, in fidelity to their
vows. 337
Certain ones were dismissed from the gaña on various grounds: inflexibility of character, difficulty in submission,338 a tendency towards insubordination with refusal to do penance for some fault339, unsuitability of temperament for the ascetic life and unwillingness, 340 constitutional weakness of character incapable of exercising selfcontrol, 341 or, it may be, some incurable malady,342 just to quote a few names and examples from among the first sādhvis. Ācārya Bhikhaņa must certainly have been on his guard lest elements of dissension and indifference enter in to spoil the spirit of the reform;
335 Cf. P 566 ff.
336 The 74th to receive dikṣā in 1813.
337 The above explanations were given by Muni Navaratnamala himself.
338 "āpa praksiti ki kathorată evañ anuśāsana mein rahane ki kathinatā se
gana se alaga hui". Śri Netū, MS. Part I, p. 10.
339 Four names mentioned: Śri:Phattū, Akhū, Ajbū, Candū.
340 "prakriti sudhāra na karane ke karaņa gaña se alaga hui." Śri Rattū; MS. Part 1, p. 35.
341 parişaha na saha sakane se tathā saṁyama na pāla sakane se gana se
pţthak hui." Śri Vannā, MS. Part I, p. 38.
342 Śrī Lālā.
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