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During this period a largo majority of people will be miso rable and only very few persons will be happy, though their 80called happiness will be mixed with periods of un-happiness. Land will be less fertile. There will be un-timely rains, and repeated draughts causing much damage to person and property.
There will be little piety and honesty. People with try to cheat their neighbours. Kings will be selfish, tyrannical, and cruelhearted. They will be constantly fighting with each other with immense loss to human beings and to the State. There will be frequent famines, pestilences, and danger from wild animals.
During the period of the ara in which the Omniscient Tirthankara Bhagavāns lived, the villages and towns of Bharata Kşetra were flourishing and the whole country abounded in wealth, mineral products, corn etc. The villages seemed like big towns; towns resembled the svarga-purt (the Capital City of the gods ); Kinsmen were noble-hearted; kings were like Kubera (the god of wealth) ācāryas (preceptors) resembled the Moon; parents were like gods; mothers-in-law were like real mothers, and fathers-in-law were like actual fathers. People were fond of truthfulness and purity. They knew their duty and they rigidly avoided evil acts. They were obedient, full of devotion towards preceptors and gods, and always contented with their own wives. Besides, also, these people knew various arts and sciences, and they had noble birth. There was no danger from invading armies, of other countries, from robbers, and misfortunes, and from burden of taxation. During that period, also, there was molestation to Jaina Sadhữs from persons of other religious creeds who were destitute of devotion towards Tirthankaras. The daśa aścaryas (ten Strange Events) also happened during this period.
During the fifth ara named Dušamā, a large majority of villages will resemble burial grounds; towns will look like the world of the dead, kinsmen will be have like menials, and kings will be their subjects' chastisers like the God of Death, Kings out of avarice, will oppress their servants, and their servants, in
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