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PHILOSOPHY OF SOUL
prising of many beautiful wives. I have five hundred ministers headed by my son Abhayakumar. I have thousands of friends and companions who scrupulously take my care all the while. My prowess is unrivalled and my command is indefatigable. How can I be called without any protection with all these my accomplishments ? Lord! It is not likely that your statement is true".
The sage replied, “Oh, King, I know well that you are king Shrenik, the lord of the countries, Anga and Magadha. I also know well that thousands of elephants, horses and warriors command your sway. I equally know that your prowess is unrivalled and your command indefatigable, still I say that you do not deserve to be a protector. You are yourself helpless. The sages without any attachment never tell lies”. The king of Magadha realised that the sage had not passed the statement without proper understanding or in haste. He said, “Oh great fellow, your words are never untrue, but though pondering over your words deeply I am not convinced that I am helpless".
The Sage said, “Oh King, you have not properly understood the significance of the word "helpless” and “well protected”. It is better if you know some account of my early life to make you understand the significance of this word. I shall narrate in brief that account of my life".
Then on the Sage's instruction, the King of Magadha sat down anxiously awaiting the words flowing forth from the sacred mouth of the sage having no worldly attachment.
The Sage spoke, "Oh King, my parents lived in the city named Koshambi overflowing with affluence and sanctified with the sacred feet of Lord Padma Prabhaswami, the sixth Tirthankara. My parents were respected as prominent persons due to their opulence of wealth. I was the beloved child of my parents and therefore, they brought me up with tender care and comforts. Well-known masters of arts were engaged for teaching various arts to me. When I was young I was married to a beautiful maiden named Kulvati and our conjugal happiness was quite fair on the whole. Worldly transactions were mainly carried out by my father and business was attended to by the clerks. Thus I was quite care free and therefore mostly engrossed in the company of friends, I moved
