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PHILOSOPHY OF SOUL
marine-human being in ocean. He was caught in a net by fisher men who crushed him in a milling machine to obtain his testicles. One who keeps these testicles has no fear of being attacked by submarine creatures. He died under unbearable tortures to be born in the 3rd hell where having lived for numerous years he was re-born as a male fish 500 yards long. Here he was sliced into many pieces. Thereafter he was produced in the fourth hell. Thus in all the seven hells he was reproduced twice. Thereafter, he was born as a dog, a boar, a donkey and as thousands of onesensed animals to endure immense pains. When his most of the sins were exhausted he was born as a son of Vasudatta and his wife Vasumati in Vasantpura city. Vasudatta was a multi-millionaire but he was reduced to paupery no sooner his wife carried the boy. When she delivered the son the father expired and when he grew five years old the mother also died. Thus he was named “Nishpunyaka" (meritless). He grew in age having undergone lots of miseries.
One day his maternal uncle took him to his place, where the thieves stole property at night. Thus miseries befell wherever he proceeded. Anyway at last he went to the seashore to serve a wealthy merchant Dhanavaha. He sailed along with him when the ship arrived safely at an island. 'Nishpunyaka' thought his ill luck had neglected him but on return the ship was wrecked and he clinging to a log of wood swam to the shore. Now he was employed by a village chief who was also ruined. He was driven out by the chief. Wandering in the wilderness he arrived at the temple of Yakasha named 'Salaka' to whom he narrated his life full of miseries. Here he began to propitiate Yakasha with full devotion.
When he fasted for 21 days Yakasha was pleased with him. Yakasha said, “Oh man, A peacock shall daily visit this place and dance. You take away 1,000 feathers from its tail. When he collected 990 feathers he thought it would take a long time as the feathers dropped gradually one by one. He would better pluck off all the rest from the peacock's tail. It is properly said that sense follows the Karmas performed in the past. This means that sense operates on par with the fruits to be acquired in future according to Karmas. When he on the next day tried to pluck the feathers, the peacock disappeared along with 900 feathers which
