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NandiSootra
her son. When the acharya also refused, she approached the king with a heavy heart. The king listened to her complaint and after careful consideration issued instructions - "On one side should sit the mother and on the other the ascetic father. The child should be left on his own. To whichever of the two the child goes, will be considered the rightful guardian of the child."
Next day all necessary arrangements were made in the court. Sunanda sat on one side with numerous attractive toys and also some eatables to entice the child. Showing these things to the child sitting at the center of the assembly she gestured the child to come to her.
The child thought - "Only when I do not go to my mother will she be inspired to detach herself from her love for me and proceed on the spiritual path. This will benefit us both." With these thoughts he did not move from where he was sitting.
Now his father, ascetic Dhangiri, addressed him "O Vajra, if you are firm in your resolution, accept this rajoharan (special broom carried by Jain ascetics), the symbol of spiritual practice and remover of the sand of karma."
Hearing these words child Vajra at once went to his father and picked the rajoharan up. The king, who witnessed all this, immediately gave the child to acharya Simhagiri. After seeking permission from the sangh and the king, acharya Simhagiri formally initiated him as an ascetic.
Sunanda also got detached. She thought "When my brother, husband and son all have broken all worldly ties and become ascetics, what will I do in my house all alone?" She also got initiated and accepted the spiritual path.
In due course acharya Simhagiri left the town with his disciples. Ascetic Vajra was highly talented. When the acharya read the scriptures to his disciples, Vajra listened very attentively. Just by hearing this way he gradually acquired complete knowledge of the eleven Angas.
One day the acharya had gone out of the upashraya. Other ascetics were also away for alms collection. Child ascetic Vajra playfully arranged the clothes of ascetics in a row and he himself sat in the middle facing the row. Considering the heaps of clothes to be his disciple he started giving discourse of the Angas to them. When the acharya was returning into the upashraya he heard the sound of reading of the Angas. As he approached nearer he could recognize the voice of ascetic Vajra. He was astonished at the perfect style of reading and the unprecedented knowledge of the child. Cherishing the perfection of reading he arrived near ascetic Vajra. The child ascetic got up and greeted him humbly and respectfully. He then replaced all the belongings of the ascetics at their proper places.
Some day's later acharya Simhagiri left for other places for some days. While leaving he gave the responsibility of giving reading of the Angas to ascetic Vajra. The child ascetic explained evens the most subtle and difficult topics from Agams in such a simple and easily understandable style that even comparatively dull ascetics faced hardly any difficulty in grasping the meaning. With the help of the detailed explanations of the scriptures he even removed doubts of the ascetics in their previously learned lessons. All the ascetics developed a very high degree of respect for him and they continued to get their lessons from him with due modesty.
When acharya Simhagiri returned, the ascetics requested - "Gurudev, ascetic Vajra's style of giving lessons of the Agams is extremely good. Please entrust him with this responsibility permanently." The acharya was happy and contented to hear Aagam- 44 -NandiSootra ~96~ Compiled by- Deepratnasagar
