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One of the gods, who did not believe in these words of the Indra thought at once of holding a test of the child and arrived at the place where Mahavira was at play with his friends. The god turned himself into a dreadful snake, coiled round the trunk of a banyan tree and began to hiss. Mahāvira was at that time climbed on the same tree. When the boys saw the snake, they were terrified and ran away, but Mahavira sat perfectly unconcerned. With is right hand, he caught the snake and placed it aside.
The boys met again and started a fresh game called tindusaka. In this game also, a tree was chosen as target, but the boys were paired, and both were required to run at the same target. Of the two, he who touched the target first was declared successful, and then he would enjoy a ride on the defeated partner to the place wherefrom the race had started. The aforesaid god changed himself into a boy and got mixed into the group. He managed to pair himself with Mahavira, but was defeated by the latter. As per the rule of the game, Mahavira rode on the boy's back and was on his way to the place wherefrom he had started. Maybe to terrorise him or hide him from others, the god enlongened his body to the length of seven palms and looked severely dreadful. All the boys became alarmed. Some began to shout and others began to cry bitterly; but Mahāvira remained free from fear. He measured the extent of his wickedness and gave him a severe blow on the head and another on the back. The blows were too powerful for the god to bear, and be began to sink into the ground. Quickly he changed his form and fell at Maha vira's feet. Said he,
"Indra spoke highly about your courage and bravery,
but, I think, you surpass all description." The god went back to his heavenly abode. After the god had departed, Indra came himself and congratulated Mahavira for his masterly demonstration of courage. Physical strength About Mahāvira's physical strength; the widely held belief is as follows: In strength, 12 soliders are equal to 1 ox;
10 oxen are equal to 1 horse; 12 horses are equal to 1 buffalo; 15 buffaloes are equal to 1 elephant;
