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Nandi Sootra
an Mahavire There were through the Thavir chose
there while playing around. With curiosity he looked into the well and found the water red. When he returned home he told his father about a well with red water and brought along his father to show the strange water. The father was experienced and was endowed with parinamiki buddhi. Wen he looked into the well, he at once understood that the red color of the water was just due to the reflection of some shining red thing. He climbed the tree and after searching found the radiant gem and brought it home.
19. The serpent - After his first monsoon stay at Asthik village Shraman Bhaga van Mahavir left for Shvetambika city. On the way were South Vachal and North Vachal areas. There were two ways to reach North Vachal; one was roundabout and the other, passing through the Kanak Khal Ashram. This hermitage was once full ofgreenery but desolate now. Mahavir chose this forlorn and difficult path.
When he was about to step on that path, some cowherds shouted - "0 ascetics! Stop. Do not go that way. It is a dangerous trail. There is a terrible black serpent that has poison in its eyes. Its poisonous hissing destroys even plants. Take the other trail not this."
Mahavir heard this panicky call of the cowherds but with a smile he raised his open palm in assurance and stepped ahead. Walking firmly he arrived near the snake-hole. Close to the snake-hole was a dilapidated temple. Mahavir stood in meditation in the kayotsarga posture in the shade of this temple.
After sometime the giant black serpent came out of its hole hissing fiercely. Ithad set its eyes on a human being after a long time. The man was standing firm and fearless with closed eyes. The serpent was surprised. It looked at Mahavir with its poisonous red eyes. Like flames from a ball of fire its poisonous eyes emitted waves of venom. It hissed awesomely, but all this had no effect on Mahavir. Many a times it attacked Mahavir with its poisonous gaze but Mahavir was still unmoved.
This failure infuriated the serpent. Slithering ahead it sank its fangs in Mahavir's toe and injected all the venom. Even this had no effect on Mahavir. This added fuel to the fire and the serpent bit Mahavir twice again. Even this was wasted. Suddenly the serpent saw that from the spots where it had bitten, instead of blood, milk was oozing out.
Confused by his failure, the serpent was lost in its thoughts. Fear replaced its anger. Mahavir decided that it was time to preach the serpent. He uttered in his deep and serene voice - "O Chandakaushik, open your inner eyes. Be calm and remember your past life. Rise above the anger."
When the serpent met Mahavir's gaze it felt as if a wave of peace had engulfed it. It was lost deep in its thoughts. The address - Chandakaushik appeared to be known to him. It entered the state of Jati-smaran jnana. Incidents of its past births surfaced
Two births before he was a shraman ascetic. He used to do month long fasts and eat only dry food. Once he was going to collect alms forhis breakfast. A disciple was following him. A small frog got crushed under his feet and he was unaware of this. The disciple saw this and humbly said - "Master, it seems that a frog has been crushed under your feet inadvertently. Please do atonement." He found the comment unpleasant and reprimanded the disciple.
The disciple remained silent, thinking that he should not have passed any comment while walking. They returned to their place of stay. In the evening when it Aagam- 44 -NandiSootra
98 - Compiled by- Deepratnasagar
