Atmanandji Jainacharya Janmashatabdi Smarakgranth

Author(s): Mohanlal Dalichand Desai
Publisher: Atmanand Janma Shatabdi Smarak Trust

Page 265

Reminiscences of past life
some food (though I had not taken any food for him on the hill.) The boy looked at me curiously and asked me if I was hungry. I feigned reply in the affirmative. The boy tauntingly remarked:“ It strikes me, Kakasaheb, that after you have worshipped Adeswar Bhagwan you feel hungry. I do not feel any appetite, being very well fed with my good luck in being able to worship Adeswar Bhagwan in my present life so soon.” I turned the channel of my talk and asked him to go down with me in the litter. He was firm in his resolve to go down on foot. Acharya (then Muni) Ajitsagarji persuaded the boy to go down with me but he did not submit and descended the hill on foot. On his way back he was asked by several people to drink water but he declined to do so; rather he admonished the pilgrims and warned them to leave the practice altogether of drinking water on the sacred hill. He took meals on reaching the rest house at half past two in the afternoon. THOUSANDS OF PILGRIMS VISIT THE BOY
AT PALITANA
As at Wadhwan, so at Palitana pilgrims in great numbers came to see the boy daily and he had to undergo severe examination and trial till late hours in the evening. Sheth Girdharbhai Anandji and Sheth Amarchand Ghelabhai of Bhavnagar and many others put the boy several questions and received satisfactory replies.
VISIT TO SIDDHAWAD Being pressed by pilgrims at Palitana to show his nest in siddhawad, a day was fixed when about a thousand pilgrims followed the boy. He showed them the branch of the tree where he had his parrot's nest and the party was more than satisfied.
31 DAYS' STAY AT PALITANA During 31 days' stay at Palitana the boy at the age of about four performed the pilgrimage daily on foot covering nearly eight miles up and down and over the hill. He ascended without eating or drinking and took meals after coming back from the hill in the afternoon. He always worshipped with concentration of mind and pure heart.
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[ Shree Atmaramji