________________
Bhagawan Mahavir ]
[ 191
showered great love on him. They looked towards the child with an affectionate eye and praised their own fortune. Mother Trishala was very much pleased to see the increasing love of those ladies for her child.
APPOINTMENT OF EXPERTS IN CHARGE OF THE PRINCE.
Many experienced, learned, grave, quite, generous, healthy, well-behaved and meritorious persons of high families were appointed to take charge of prince Vardhamana's nursing and education. The parents believed that the children of rich people get corrupted only through their contact with servants who are ill-natured and evil-minded. The parents leave their children wholly to the care of the servants, with whom they have to pass the major part of the day. It is at this time that the reflection of the evil nature, impure thoughts and mean actions of the servants falls on and taints the nature, mind and actions of the pure-hearted children. It is on account of this reason that these children bring into disrepute the name of their ancestors, family, caste, religion and country, as they grow old. Their thoughts, words and deeds are more impure than those of their guardians. Neither they are scrupulous about eating or drinking anything or behaving at will, nor do they show any respect for their traditional manners and customs and ideals of their family. They become enemies of Modesty, Truth, Self-control and Patience, Their manhood is nothing but a developed form of the influences which they received in their boyhood. If the parents act some-what more wisely and put their children under the charge of ideal persons, they may turn the current of their lives to any direction they want. Some time the
Jain Education International
For Private & Personal Use Only
www.jainelibrary.org
