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Bhagwan Mahavir ]
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keeping his gaze constantly on one thing that fell before his eyes. The following night, too he passed similarly, standing in meditation with face turned southwards. The next day, he fixed his eyes on something in the West and in the night, on something in the North. Thus he completed his penance, but instead of taking his food on the third day, he began another course of penance named 'Maha-bhadra'. Every kind of food and water is strictly forbidden in this penance continually for four days. Lord Mahavira passed four days and four nights standing in meditation and changing the directions in the above manner. On the seventh day, too, he did not take his food but undertook in stead another course of penance named 'Sarvato-bhadra'.
In the course of practising Sarvato-bhadra, one has to go without food and water continually for ten days. Lord Mahavira passed these days, too, standing in mediatation, and fixing his gaze on any particular thing in the ten directions respectively. At the completion of this severe penance he came to a village for breaking his fast and reached the house of a layman. The maid-servant of that layman, named Bahula, was going to clean the utensils just about that time. She had collected the cold and stale rice from the utensils and was about to throw it away when her eyes fell on Lord Mahavira standing like a beggar at the door. She at once said to him, "I was going to throw away this cold and stale rice. You may take it if you like." The Lord did not show any sign of displeasure or indifference, but gladly stretched his hand before the maid servant in order to take it. She gave the rice to the Lord, and the Lord ate it standing at that very spot. He then resumed his Vihara from Yashtika.
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