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INTRODUCTION
also it devoured later. The mother dared not exa pose to public view suoh a child, and hence brought it up secretly in the cellar of her house. The child was named Miyāputta ( $ 25-29).
One day when Mahāvira was on a visit to Miyaggāma, a blind beggar, led by his friend with a staff, went to listen to his discourse. Indrabhati Gautama, the senior most pupil of Mahāvīra notioed his presence there, and asked his Master if there lived a person more mist rable than the blind man in the congregation. Mahāvīra replied in the affirmative and asked IndrabŁūti to see the son of Miyādevi ( $ 9-13).
When Indrabhūti reached the house of Miyadevi and expressed his desire to see her son, she presented her four younger sons to him. Indrabbūti, however, wanted to see her son Miyāputta whom she had been nursing in secret. She was surprised to know from Indrabhūti that Mahāvīra, by his divine power, was able to learn her secret. She then led Indrabhūti to the place where Miyāputta was kept. She gave food to the child which it immediately devoured and digested as mentioned above. Indrabhūti then thought that he saw with his own eyes a creature born in hell. He then returned to his Master and asked him who the boy was in his previous birth, and as a result of what deeds he suffered the miseries in his present life. Mahāvīra. then, gave the account of Miyāputta's previous life ( 8 14-19).
There lived in a small district town Vijayavaddhamāṇa, a district officer, Ikkāi by name, of king Dhanavai of Sayaduvāra. This Ikkāi had five hun. dred villages under his charge. He was impious,
