________________
404).
[Mental Agitation of Meghamunir
have forgotten all about your previous birth? Do you not know that the effect of good qualities such as mercy and for. giveness practised in right earnest even for a single moment, can raise the life of man to the highest position ? Even if you act according to your own example set by you in your previous life, you will lead the world towards asceticism rather than talk of dis-vowing it yourself.” At this, MeghaMuni requested the Lord with folded hands to remove his mental agitation by telling him all about his previous life.
Lord Mahavira marked this longing in the heart of Megha-Muni and said,” O Megha-Kumara, in your previous birth you were an elephant named Meru-Prabha, who lived by the bank of a lake in the forest of Vindhaya Mountain. On account of your power and fellow-feeling, you were chosen "Leader” by a herd of elephants. Once in the middle of the summer season, it so happened that the forest caught fire due to rubbing of one bamboo against another. Seeing the danger ahead you went with your herd and uprooted a large number of bushes growing near the banks of the lake. After clearing a spot of about four miles in length, you sprinkled it over with water and in order to protect your herd from the blazes of fire, you took shelter there. You did not refuse permission to any living creature who, being afraid of the fire, wanted to take shelter there. Shortly after this, it so happened that as you lifted your one foot in order to rub your body where there was some itching, sensation a little hare ran in utter hopelessness from the fearful blazes of fire and sat down under your foot, which you had just lifted up. Thinking that if you placed your foot on the ground the poor little creature would be crushed to death, you kept
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