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Shri Mahavir Jain Aradhana Kendra
www.kobatirth.org
Acharya Shri Kailassagarsuri Gyanmandir
169
sleepy they lay down in a line. The first one began to think thus, “This is a wild forest. If a scorpion comes it will sting me first and on hearing my cries the others will climb the trees and I will have to die of the sting. Why should I be so foolish as to be stung by the scorpion ? All are sleeping. Why should I not use this opportunity and why should I not change my place?” So thinking, he went and lay down at the other end. On account of this, the second one in the line became the first one. He too thought in the same manner and went and lay down at the other end. So, gradually all the others did the same. This process of changing places continued till the morning. When the sun rose, they found to their amazement that they had come to iheir own village and again they set out together to earn money.
Fear appears on account of the company in which we find ourselves.
Once, a lion's cub while wandering in a forest entered a group of jackals. Therefore, even after it grew up, it continued to be cowardly like jackals. One day a lion came there in search of prey. It began roaring. A lion does not hunt a prey without roaring. That is its nature. On hearing its roar, all the jackals ran helter-skelter. Even that cub which was in the company of the jackals began to run with fear. The lion caught hold of it and took it to a pond. The lion made the cub see its reflection in the water, and said that it was also a lion like him. The lion said, "Just as I can terrify animals by my roar, you too can." The cub realised its true nature. Its cowardice ended and it became fearless.
We too become cowardly when we are in the rompany of those who are steeped in the morass of passions and attachments. Though we are the devotees of Lord Mahāvira (the fearless one), we keep fearing all sorts of things. When our souls are enlightened and brightened by the words of Mahāvira (Jinavara) our fears disa ppear. When we look into the waters of the sacred lore we realise that there is no difference between cur soul and that of
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