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knowing it to be their duty through the medium of Avadhi Janna, they immediately went to Śramaņa Bhagavān Mahāvîra accompanied by their respective retinue: Respectfully bending their heads low and as if worshipping the Lord with the fragrant Mandāra flowers falling down from their heads, they began to request him thus with sweet words:- Victory to You! O worshipful master! vanquisher like a terrible lion equipped with powerful claws, of the elephant-like god of Love, Obeisance to you! O highly compassionate Soul ! you are always ready to protet the whole Universe disregarding your own work, and you are like the Sun in expanding the lotus-like forest of the family of the Jñata Ksatriyas. Cau a dull-witted man like me ever know the real meaning of the objects of the Universe, and also of objects outside it in the perfect way perceived by you? Of what value is the brightness of the firefly when compared with the brilliance of Sun capable of removing darkness in a moment by ล stream of its rays. However, O Lord of the Universe! Knowing it to be our duty we entreat you with the object only of reminding you a little. O Supreme Lovd! Now, you commence an ascetic life and speedily establish the religion of the Tirthankaras with the object of removing the misfortunes of persons burning with the maladies of a this world. Now show the Path of Emancipation obscured by the darkness of false beliefs of very illiterate sectarians by the fight of your Excellent Knowledge Let people take beverage of the nectar of your speech if from an ocean filled with gems possessing various strange miraculous powers and with water of Compassion. Let all the people becoming greatly delighted, by hearing your extraordinary ascetic life, say out your stories till the end of this world. Becoming doubly resolute in his efforts by these words of the courteous gods, Śramaņa Bhagavan Mahavira became the more desirous of the happiness of Final Emancipation.
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