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APRIL, 1985
159
Pondering a little she said, "Yes, there is a way out. But can you do that ? The king of Nepal in Himavan gives jeweled blankets to monks. Can you bring such one for me ?"
“Why not ? If your favourable gesture remains before my eyes I can enter the portals of death."
After a long time the monk returned undergoing enormous hardships. Putting the blanket in her hands he said, "Kosa, take it."
Kosa first looked at the blanket then tearing it threw it away.
A deep sigh came out of the monk's heart. Said he, "I knew not that you are so foolish. You could not have torn it away if you had only known what hardships I had to bear for bringing it here."
Kosa said with a laugh, "When have I known the character which one earns by giving up life can so easily be thrown away."
In a moment the black cover of desire that obstructed his spiritual vision was gone. He could now see himself. Strange ! He had come here to give the test of his character but he was going to give it up altogether. Of whatever value it may be character cannot be tested near the den of a lion. It had to be tested in the house of Kosa. And there he has failed.
With his folded hands he asked her forgiveness, in his heart he prayed for the grace of the Acarya. Then bowing to Sthulabhadra, the winner of desire, he left the place.
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