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TAM MAHĀVĪRA
I felt, "This type if activity is the result of reading the scriptures by rote. If the people take the practical point of view regarding scriptural statements, it would have been better."
I am habituated to wander in the forests. I feel highly
pacified and happy there. One day, I was returning from my forest trip with pleasure. I found a wounded man on the road. His head
was oozing with blood. It seemed that he must have been cruelly
beaten. I felt pity on him. It was learnt later that his name was
Śivakesī. He belonged to the fourth caste of manual workers under
the caste system.
The Vedas were being recited at some place in the village.
The poor Sivakeśī happened to pass through that point of the road. He thought, "Let me listen to the Vedas for some moments." He stood there. The people saw him standing there. They got angry and beat him cruelly. "Oh, a menial listening to the Vedas? How
could it be?"
While being beaten, he told the people, "Please take me as
an animal and not as a man. The animals can listen to the Vedas as per scriptures." Despite this, the people continued beating him. I felt, "Is it the real characteristic of the religion?"
I felt sorry for him. However, I was wonder-struck later
when I saw that the physician (Vaidya) gave him medieation without seeing him despite my request. Even my elder brother also
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