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NandiSootra
Kosha said serenely- "Great ascetic, I did all this to bring you back to the right path. You have strayed from your path. Indeed, the gem studded shawl is highly valuable, but the discipline acquired through practices is priceless. All the pleasure and grandeur in the world is insignificant before it. You had decided to throw away that self earned immense wealth on the heap of the trash that is carnal indulgence. Regain your rationality and try to understand why you have become eager to accept again what you abandoned considering it to be despicable and base?"
Kosha's statement opened the ascetic's eyes. He involuntarily uttered "Sthulabhadra, who does harshest of the harsh spiritualpractices, is indeed, unique among ascetics. What gurudev had said is true."
Tortured by the pain of his fall, the thoughtful ascetic returned to his guru. He narrated the story of his downfall to his teacher and repented for and atoned his sins. Criticizing himself and praising Sthulabhadra he said "I bow before and offer my respect to ascetic Sthulabhadra who; in spite of all the enticements like an attracted and infatuated courtesan, rich food, attractive palace, healthy body, blooming youth and monsoon season, won over the god of love and put the courtesan on the spiritual path by his sermon."
Thus with the help of his Parinamiki Buddhi, Sthulabhadra abandoned the post of prime minister, mundane pleasures, wealth and grandeur to attain spiritual bliss. He is worthy of all praise.
14. Sundarinand of Nasikpur- In Nasikpur lived a merchant named Nand. The name of his extremely beautiful wife was Sundari. The merchant was so infatuated with her that he would not let her away from his eyes even for a moment. Because of this deep attachment with his wife people started calling him Sundarinand.
The merchant had a younger brother who got detached from the world and became an ascetic. When he came to know that his brother neglected everything due to his fondness for his wife, he came to Nasikpur to enlighten his brother. Getting the news of the ascetic's arrival all the townspeople came to attend the discourse but for Sundarinand.
After the discourse the ascetic went out in search of food. Wandering around he arrived at his brother's house. When he saw the condition of his brother with his own eyes, he thought - "As long as he is not drawn to something better he will not be free of his infatuation." With this idea he created an ordinary woman with the help of his vathriyalabdhi (the special power to transform material things) and asked the merchant - "Is she as beautiful as Sundari?"
The merchant replied - "No, she is not even half as beautiful as Sundari." Now the ascetic created a lower goddess and asked - "How about this?" Merchant - "Yes, she is like Sundari."
Third time the ascetic created a goddess and repeated the same question.. This time the merchant was impressed - "Indeed! She is more beautiful than Sundari."Now the ascetic conveyed his message
"If you indulge even a little bit in religious activities, you 'will get many such beautiful women without any special effort."
These words opened the merchant's eyes. He could now grasp the basic purpose behind the ascetic's antics. His attitude underwent a change and gradually his infatuation for his wife reduced. Later he became an ascetic and stepped on the path of purification of the soul.
Aagam- 44 -NandiSootra
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Compiled by- Deepratnasagar
