Glory of Jainism

Author(s): Kumarpal Desai
Publisher: 108 jain Tirth Darshan Trust

Page 39

4. SHREE KURGADU MUNI
urgadu Muni's name is associated with the quality of forbearance. Kur means cooked rice and gadua means a kind of vessel. It means that Munishri Kurgadu required a large vesselful of cooked rice in the morning and only then would he feel fit. This habit of his rice-eating in the morning had become an object of mockery among other monks. But he could not go hungry, he had to eat a large quantity of food. Because of his excessive eating, some monks called him a glutton.
Four of the sadhus of his gachchha were mahatapasvi (great practitioner of austerity). One of these monks observed fast for one month, the second one for two months, the third one for three months and the fourth one for four months. Ignoring the jocular remarks of these sadhus, Muni Kurgadu continued performing all his personal attendance to them. He never envied the severe penance of other monks; on the contrary he always supported and praised them for their penance.
As he was aware of his own limitations, he used to be ever-willing and ever-ready to perform such selfless service to all the monks that were engaged in penance. He had formed the habit to use all such slander and censure as a method of self-analysis and selfintrospection. Thus, his way of life was that of constant forbearance.
Once, on the occasion of samavatsari (annual ceremony of public confession), Kurgadu Muni returned after collecting alms (gochari). He put his alms before the monks and politely requested them to have something from alms if they so desired. As the monks heard his words, they got furious and scolded him hard for eating even on a religious day and offering them the food so shamelessly on such a day of parva. In their view this was shocking and sacrilegious. The furious sadhus spat on his food. However, Kurgadu Muni was not enraged; on the contrary he was embarrassed and puzzled. His sincere request for service had become a cause of anger.
His mind was agitated and he thought, "Oh! What an idleness of mind on my part ! A sadhu is supposed never to be idle for a second, whereas I am not able to perform even a single minor penance. It is indeed shameful for me that I am unable to perform the penance on a day of parvas. I deserve to be hated !"
His thoughts continued, “Instead of serving these four monks, I have been instrumental in enraging them. Indeed as a muni, I have committed many blunders of serious consequences. How shameful !"
And, thus, Kurgadu Muni began to repent. Sincere repentence becomes instrumental in revealing the truth; so Kurgadu Muni realized what was wrong with him and he could understand his own weakness and sadhu maharaj's nobility.
For the Muniraj this proved to be an occasion for self-probing and self-reproach. In this mood of self-censure and gloom, Kurgadu Muni was lost in purest meditation and ultimately attained absolute knowledge. This occasion of his attaining absolute knowledge proved to be a festival for divine celebration. It is said very truly that only a large-hearted and noble person can forget, forgive and suffer.
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