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Bhagawan Mahavir 1
[ 193
could not bear this praise of a human child in the presence of distinguished gods. He argued with Indra on this point, and walked out of the Assembly in order to test the strength and courage of the boy. Having reached near the play-ground the god changed his form, took the shape of a fearful snake and coiled himself round the trunk of the tree upon which the boys used to climb in their game. Fortunately, this time it was the turn of Vardhamana to climb. He ran up to the tree and was about to climb it when his playmates, who had jumped aside in fear, pointed out the snake to him and asked him to run away with them. Brave Vardhamana stopped them and said, “ Why do you run away, my dear friends! This is a little worm, while we are men. It cannot harm us. Do not run away. I will catch hold of it and remove it from this place” The boys, who were trembling with fear got some relief from the encouraging words of Vardhamana. Child Vardhamana daringly stepped forward and caught -hold of the venomous snake. The boys who were standing near again fled away in extreme terror. They feared that he would fling it over them. Vardhamana again gave them assurance and prevented them from running. The boys knew the tenderness of his heart and the truthfulness of his nature, and, therefore, they stood where they were. Vardhamana at once removed the snake to a distant solitary place and left it there. That game was then stopped and they began to play in some other manner.
The game which was now started, was "Horse and Rider". The god again left his body of the snake and mixed with the boys. One of the conditions of the game was that the “defeated" boy should stand himself as a horse and the "victorious" boy should mount upon his back as a rider. The
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