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APRIL, 1971
211
The revered Jina Vrsabha himself advised the establishment of the groups of villages, towns, cities and the arts of welfare.
Those excessively strong men who were appointed by him for the protection became famous and renowned in the world as the Ksatriyas.
The courageous men who were engaged in trade, ploughing, keeping of the cows and business were named as Vaisyas.
Those who were engaged in the mean things and who always did the commands of others became the Sudras ; they are of various types in this world.
As a pair giving happiness to all the beings entered on earth that era was proclaimed in the world by the name of Krtayuga.
The excellent Jina had a wife by name Sumangala and a second by name Nanda; he got hundred sons( such as) prince Bharata and others.
Both the excellent daughters, Brahmi and Sundari were possessed of youth, beauty and lusture and were renowned in the people.
(He) taught politics to the feudatory kings, warriors, priests, commanders, merchants and to the heads of villages and taught the relation of the earth to the people.
Thus he passed the time enjoying the royal glory ; (once) seeing the blue garment, he became averse to worldly life.
(He thought) : “Alas ! the people being attached to the service of others, delay; they dance like mad men and to many hundreds of acts.
“Humanity is worthless and life is as ficle as the flashes of lightning. The body is merely the receptacle of multifarious diseases, sorrows, and flocks of germs (or bacteria).
“The soul (i.e., the man) addicted to the baits of pleasures takes misery for happiness. And though mocked again and again does not mark the diminishing life (i.e., is not conscious of it).
“And thus, discarding these pleasures of senses which are so ephemeral, I should exert for penance, self-control and for the bliss of tion, having (first) given up all attachment (to pleasures).”
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