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MAHÄVIR-SWÄMI AND THE COWHERD
19 - Mahävir swämi and the Cowherd
One day as Mahävir swami was going from one place to another, he stopped near a big tree to meditate. While he was meditating, a cowherd came with his cows. He needed someone to look after his cows so he could go for some errands. He asked Mahävir swami if he would look after his cows for a few hours. Mahävir swami was in deep meditation and did not respond to the cowherd. However, the cowherd went away thinking that Mahävir swami had heard him and would look after his cows. In the meantime, the cows started wandering away looking for grass. A few hours later, the cowherd returned and found all his cows were missing. He asked Mahävir swami, "Where are my cows? What did you do with them?" Mahävir swami was still in meditation and did not reply. The herder started wondering where the cows could have gone. Since Mahävir swami did not reply, the cowherd searched for them everywhere but could not find them. While he was looking for the cows, the cows returned to the place where Mahävir swami was meditating.
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Indra preventing an ignorant cowherd from assaulting Bhagawan
Mahävir When the cowherd came back, to his amazement all his cows were standing near Mahävir swami. Mahävir swami was still meditating. The cowherd became very angry at Mahävir swami because he thought that Mahävir swami had been hiding his cows. Therefore, he took out his rope and was about to whip Mahävir swami with it. Just then, an angel from heaven came down and held his hand. "Can you not see that Mahävir swämi is in deep meditation?" the angel asked. "But he tricked me!" said the cowherd. The angel replied, "He is in meditation and did not hear you. He was prince Vardhamän before becoming a monk. He did not do anything to your cows. You would have acquired bad karmas for hurting him." The cowherd realized that he had made a mistake. He apologized to Mahävir swami and went away silently
JAIN STORY BOOK
