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[ Goshala tests the ability of the Lord
GOSHALA TESTS THE ABILITY OF THE LORD.
From the land of the Latas, Lord Mahavira came to the land of the civilised people ( Aryans ). He passed by Siddharthapura, on his way to Kurmagaon. By chance, Goshala saw a sesame-plant growing in a field. He stopped there, and in order to test the ability of the Lord, said to him "Lord, will this plant bear fruit or not? and where will the souls, which are playing in the cup of these seven flowers, be born after their death ?” The Lord replied, Goshala, this plant will surely bear fruit, and the souls will be born in the seeds of fruits after their death. The suspicious mind of Goshala could not believe these words of the Lord, and as he was bent on testing his ability he remained behind, and in order to falsify the words of the Lord he uprooted the plant, and threw it away. He then hurried to overtake the Lord and was soon with him. Soon they reached Kurmagaon. A cow running by that side placed her foot on the sesameplant. Fortunately the soil was wet and the plant got stuck in it in a crooked position. The cow's foot had made a hole in the ground, and water had collected there from all sides. The plant, which had faded a little by now, thus got enough of water, heat and fresh air as well as suitable soil for its growth; it grew up to maturity very soon; and when its season came, the same souls in its flowers after death took birth in seasame-seeds in its fruits. THE LORD PROTECTS GOSHALA IN
KURMAGAON. There lived an ascetic in an orchard of Kurma-gaon. His name was Vaisha yana. He used to practise a kind of
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