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Bhagawan Mahavir )
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(1) To accept food and water from the hand of a princess only, ( 2 ) the princess ought to be such as might have been sold to some other man,( 3 ) she must have fetters on her feet ( 4 ) she must have hand-cuffs on her hands, ( 5 ) her head ought to be shaved ( 6 ) she must be wearing a loin-cloth, ( 7 ) she must have practised penance for three days, ( 8 ) she must be standing with grains of Udada in her hands ( 9 ) the Uada grains should be in a winnowing-basket, (10) the princess must be sitting with the winnowing basket on the threshold of her house, ( 11 ) one of her feet must be inside the threshold, 12 ) the other foot must be outside it, ( 13 ) and tears must be falling from her eyes.
The strictness of the above restrictions was increased still more by the following limitations; that all these things must be found at the same place, at the same time, and in the same individual; and if by chance, all these things did not happen together, he vowed to go without food and water for six months continuously. Praised to the Lord, for only such High Souls as he can undertake such self-imposed vows.
After undertaking these vows, Lord Mahavira went out on the begging tour in Kaushambi city, but could not get food and water attended by the restrictions of the above description. Thus one day passed, two days passed, five days passed, then ten days passed. He went out to seek the alms every day, but when he could not get food and water in accordance with his restrictions, he returned without accepting any. The citizens now felt that the Lord had under taken some vows. They tried to know them, but it was impossible to get the clue until he himself told them. The ruler of the
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