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[The Nine Nidhanas despise the unreality of the world, and made a firm determination to exchange his imperial wealth with the smallest grains of spiritual knowledge. When the lecture was over he bowed to the saint and went home. According to his previous decision, he severed all his connections with the empire and its wealth, and although the queen, the son and the friends and statesmen tried their best to dissuade him from doing so, yet in spite of their persistent requests he placed the crown on the head of his son. After this he went straight to the saint and requested him for initiation. The saint was very glad to consecrate him and all the rites were duly observed. Emperor Pottila was already an authority in all the arts and services but after his consecration, he devoted himself more eagerly to the attainment of spiritual and philosophical knowledge in which he attained a mastery in no time. Saint Pottila now determined to practice penance in which, too, he was not at all inferior to other sadhus. While he was thus given to the attainment of his spiritual power his end neared; and leaving his mortal body by means of Samadhi ( concentration of mind) he ascended to the heaven named Mahashukra where he was born for the twenty fourth time. SAINT NANDANA AND THE CELESTIAL
LIFE The twentyfourth life of would-be Lord Mahavira came to an end and he was reborn for the twenty fifth time in the town of Chhatra in Bharatakshetra. The king of that city was Jitashatru. He had a queen named Bhadra. This queen gave birth to a very beautiful child and this child was none but would-be Lord Mahavira in his twenty fifth birth.
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