Golden Steps To Salvation

Author(s): Padmasagarsuri
Publisher: Arunoday Foundation

Page 22

But Likhitha Muni was not satisfied with this. How can a man be satisfied with forgiveness when he has committed a theft for the first time in his life? Moreover, Likhitha was a preceptor, that is, one who preached dharma or righteousness. Hence the responsibility of observing moral principles was all the greater for him. The preceptor who does not act in conformity with his precepts cannot exercise any influence over society. It is said:
"Flourishing their hands, some preceptors preach moral principles to others. But they do not practise their own principles. Is dharma or righteousness a commodity to be sold ?"
Those preceptors who preach moral principles to others in return for food and respect arc worthless as preachers because they seem to think that righteousness or dharma is a thing to be sold for money. Likhitha Muni was not of this type. He went straight to the King's Court. In the court, the king and the others knew that Likhitha was the brother of Shankha Muni. Hence, there was no likclihood of his securing punishment in the court. In order to secure punishment he spoke in this manner, "O King! if any way-farer enters a wayside garden and eats a fruit without the permission of the owner of the garden what is the punishment that should be given to such an offender?" No one in the court could understand that Likhitha Muni was seeking punishment for his own offence. After being prompted by the King by means of a sign, the judge said, “O holy man! The hand of a man who steals a fruit thus should be cut
off.”
Hearing this, Likhitha Muni approached the executioner, took his sword from him and in the presence of all, he cut off one hand of his and threw it away. Then, he gave an account of the offence he had committed and said that he had now secured due punishment for having stolen a fruit from his brother's garden. This event exer cised such a tremendous influence on the minds of people