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Bhagawan Mahavir ]
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this earth, and was born as Kaushika, the Kulapati ( Head Ascetice ) of Kanaka-Bala. He was owner of the land where the ascetics lived; but he was so cruel and bad-tempered that the ascetics had to leave that place. Now Kaushika was the sole monarch of that lovely forest. He did not allow any one to come within the boundary of his forest territory and pluck fruits and flowers or cut wood from the trees. On account of his cruel deeds and bitter temperament, people began to call him by the name of Chanda-Kaushika ( Chanda=fercy ).The older he grew the more cruel he became. One day some Ksatriya princes of the town of Shvetambari came to his park for sport. As soon Chanda-Kausika's eye fell upon them, he rushed to punish them for trespassing upon his land. But instead of killing them, he himself died. While he was rushing in a blind rage towards those princes, he suddenly fell in an old well and died then and there. The same Chanda Kaushika, took, after his death, the body of the Snake; and, on account of his cruel nature, in this life too, he was known as Chanda-Kaushika”. He gained the knowledge of his past actions through the mercy of the Lord. Now he was quite certain that if he did not leave his passion of anger, he will have to meet a still bitter fate. He therefore decided to act according to the biddings of his conscience and promised to leave his passion of anger from that very day.
Some people think that it is the best policy to cut iron with iron, but they are wrong. The passion of anger is said to resemble a fearful fire; and to pacify a man who is in passion by being angry with him, would be like extinguishing burning fire by adding more fire to it. But this is against experience,against reason, and against what we know.
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