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Bhagwan Mahavir ]
[ 415
much influenced by the instructions of the Lord that he instantly went to him and took all the twelve vows of Shravaka in his presence. He, too, tried to mould his life as the ideal Shravaka Ananda had done, and was successful in his attempts. His wife, Bhadra, also accepted the vows of a laywoman with him. She was a generous lady. Both husband and wife dedicated their lives to the service of their religion. After initiating Kamadevaji and Bhadra into the life of a layman, and lay woman Lord Mahavira resumed his Vihara and went away from that place.
One day, Kamadevaji was observing a vow named Paushadha i. e. fast with same religious observances in his Upashraya when a god came there with the intention of testing his devotion to religion. He appeared before Kamadevaji in the form of terrible giant and began to frighten him in various ways. Suffice it to say that when we hear, or think of such horrible witchcrafts, as those of the giant, earth slips from under our feet; our hearts begin to throb with fear; we forget ourselves, and appear to be dead though alive. But Kamadevaji who was absorbed in meditation, did not move a little from his reserve. Indeed, the truly resolute persons are of the same nature. Mountains may be moved by the winds of Pralaya-Kala (the time of the last deluge which ends the world), but the will of the truly resolute persons remains unmoved even at the time of greatest calamities. They would not do a thing which is not to be done and must do a thing which is worth doing, even at the cost of thier lives. This is their religion and this is their vow. Neither they are sorry for the ruin of their wealth nor are they afraid of facing death. The only thing that they care about
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