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Bhagawan Mahavir)
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absorbed in meditation and, as he had completely refrained himself from all sorts of activities for that day, he did not say either 'yes' or 'no'. From this the friend concluded that 'Silence means consent', and therefore, he untied the bullocks and led them home. He yoked them to his cart, seated a number of his kinsmen, neighbours in it and started for having a recreation in the fair. The bullocks were very fast to run and as soon as they were yoked to the cart they dragged the cart with the speed of the 'wind'. But the friend was not satisfied with this only. He asked his driver to drive them still faster, so that he might get the fullest pleasure from his drive. The driver did as he was bid, and drove the bullocks as fast as he could. Neither the friend of Jinadasa nor his driver could form any idea of the trouble and over-exertion that the bullocks were put to, for they did not belong to themselves. They drove them to their satisfaction throughout the day and visited many places for the sake of recreation. The bullocks had never suffered so much trouble throughout their life as they were compelled to suffer that day. Neither they had ever carried so much load before, nor they were compelled to run so fast, nor they were beaten in this way. They passed that day somehow or other, but they had no hope of living any longer. When night fell, the friend of Jinadasz unyoked them and tied them to their pegs. He did not even make any arrangement for their feeding. The result was that the condition of the bullocks worsened still more, and they were just on the point of death, when the sun rose, and Jinadasa after finishing his 'Praushadha' came to them. He found them in a very critical condition, and felt pity on his friend for this ill-treatment to his bullocks. He
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