Jain Journal 1975 10

Author(s): Jain Bhawan Publication
Publisher: Jain Bhawan Publication

Page 66

OCTOBER, 1975
91
Shulapani :
Aha! Again somebody has come in this monastery to give his life. As moths come to give their life before the lamp, so does my prowess attract simple fools for my food. Now, you come and surrender your life unto me. Don't you know that I am the sole proprietor of this monastery. (Laughter again, then looks intently at Mahavir] Strange, this man did not run for his life ; he did not beg of me to spare him. [Goes round Mahavir Vardhaman] Now, I have circumscribed him ; he is in my clutches ; he cannot run away. (Loudly] Who are you? Speak out, you simpleton ! Why are you so indifferent towards your life? [Vardhaman does not speak] Are you alive ? Or, you want to court death in utter silence. Again looks intently at Mahavir) This much is certain, that you are at present alive. (Laughter] Though alive, you are pretending to be dead. Open your eyes, and see the messenger of death right before your eyes. [Beats the ground lustily with his feet. But Mahavir Vardhaman remains unperturbed] This is a strange human being. None of his senses respond. His face shows no signs of commotion or fear. (Again goes round Mahavir in great amazement) In all my life, I have not come across such a man. He is so courageous, that having entered my monastery, he is sitting here so fearlessly as if the land of this monastery were his own domain. (Pauses and thinks) Best it would be that I lift him from this place and throw him down right here. But it will be an insult to my vigour to throw him down. There is no comparison between the mighty I and this frail man. His limbs are like the broken twigs of a tree. I will adopt other means to kill him. I will suck life out of him by the force of my Mantras. [Stands in front of Mahavir Vardhaman and tries to draw the breath out of him] Here I pull out his breath. [Moves his hand forward and backward repeatedly] Here I pull out the fire in him, here I draw out the lustre from his eyes ; here I pull the very ground on which he is sitting. (All his sorceries and magical efforts fail] It is strange that my magical charms had no effect on this man. Neither his breath bated ; nor did the earth slip under his feet. This man appears to me to be most strange. All my powers have failed before him. This is an insult and a challenge to me. Does not matter...