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Bhagawan Mahavir.]
[ 19
feel the necessity of eating after two days only. They are not so strong, nor so tall, nor of sweet-tempered as they were in the former period.
THE THIRD ARA
SUKHMA DUKHMA.
This Ara is both good and bad by nature and extends over two Kotakoti Sagarapama years. The span of man's life in this Ara is one Palyopama. Now people feel the pangs of hunger almost every day; but fruits still form their daily diet. Children take seventy nine days after their birth to understand things and get physical firmness. The Kalpavrikshas (desire fulfilling trees) appear to be dry at places; and their fruits are not so plentiful, sweet and delicious as they were before. Man's virtues decrease as this Ara passes on; and the feeling of greed is born in their hearts, on account of which they have to suffer a lot of trouble and a good deal of harm. Due to this corruption and change in feelings, people when this Ara draws to a close realise the necessity of keeping law and order. They also feel the necessity of a man who should strike awe and fear in the hearts of all, and who should be strongest, wisest and most competent to punish wrong doers and breakers of the peace of society,
In this period, the kings come into existence, and the kingdoms are set up for the first time; various kinds of laws and regulations framed; the wrong-doers and men of a barbarous nature are punished in various ways; good comes to be distinguished from evil; the system of giving alms is evolved; an investigation into the remote and unknown region of salvation is started; falling into hell also begins from now; different arts and sciences are discovered. and the
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