Bhagvana Mahavira

Author(s): Tulsi Acharya
Publisher: Jain Vishva Bharati

Page 43

The Period of Sādhanā
33
Pausa, Bhagavān Mahāvira resolved to accept food under particular conditions only. This resolution went a long way to mitigate social injustice. Of course, he did not disclose this to anybody. Spiritual forces control the world in their own way by changing heart and correcting mental attitudes. The minds of the people of Kaušāmbi were thoroughly shaken by the revolutionary plan of Bhagavān Mahāvīra within six months. He went out to collect food on the first day of the month. He visited several families and was greeted with great esteem. He was offered food everywhere but he returned without accepting anything from anybody. The next day also he went round in search of food and returned barehanded. People wondered as to why he had not accepted food anywhere. Nobody could understand him. People knew that during bis period of fasting he would not go to collect food. It was only after the period of fasting was over that he went about to do so. His visiting homes and returning without accepting food became the talk of the town.
One day Bhagavān Mahāvīra visited the house of the minister Sugupta. Sugupta's wife Nandā was very much devoted to Bhagavān Mahāvīra. She insisted the Bhagavān on accepting food which she offered. Although the food was acceptable, Bhagavān Mahāvīra returned as usual without accepting it. Nandā became sad. She came to know from the gossip among the servants that Bhagavān Mahāvīra had not been taking any food for the last four months. This made Nandā all the more impatient.
When Sugupta came home to lunch, he asked his wife the reason of her sadness. When she told him what had happened, he expressed his ignorance. The wife remarked ironically that the minister who administered the kingdom was expected to know everything going on in the town. Sugupta felt a little embarrassed and sent round his men to find out what had happened to Bhagavān Mahāvīra.
Satānika was then the ruler of Kaušāmbi. His queen, Mrgāvati, was the daughter of King Cetaka. One of her