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karmas. The young man at once accepted the friend's golden advice and resolved to do an 'attham', during the great festival of 'Paryushana'. On realizing that he was being punished for his own past deeds, he was prepared in his mind to accept the punishment. Therefore, going forward he had no complaint against his stepmother or the badgering he was subjected to by her. His mind had become calm, tranquil and exceedingly pacified.
Once, the stepmother saw him sleeping in a hut made out of hay. Her heart was always filled with aversion for him and she saw this as a golden opportunity to cause him harm and in a cold-blooded manner, she torched the hut. The young man was burnt to death along with the hut. At the time of dying, he kept repeating only one thing, "Paryushana attham, Paryushana attham". Nature awarded him for his correct answer, "My mother is not evil, my karmas are evil."
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There was a city by the name of Chandrakanta, which was ruled by King Vijaysen. The Sheriff of the city was a billionaire named Shrikant. His wife was Shrisakhi. They were married for many years but were childless and yearned for a child. They tried many remedies. After a passage of time, the young man was reborn as the Sheriff's son. He was named Nagketu.
A poor young man, who in his previous birth, lived in a hut was now enjoying living in a billionaire's palatial house as Nagketu. In his previous birth, he had to bear the loss of his dear mother, then he had to bear his stepmother's
Attham = a three day fast with or without boiled water
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