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JAIN JOURNAL
Bhavadeva only wanted to accompany him for a short distance but going through the village at last they reached the forest.
All the way Bhavadatta never told Bhavadeva to return his begging bowl nor Bhavadeva was able to say to him, 'Take your begging bowl, I am now returning', though he was very much anxious for Nagila. He knew Nagila was still waiting for him at the door for his return.
Seeing Bhavadeva coming with the begging bowl with his elder brother, the inmates of the hermitage were all glad. The Acarya even fixed his date of initiation.
Bhavadeva could not say a word even now as he was not able to say as he crossed the lemon tree, the cow shed and the store of grain walking all the way beside the sesamum field. He thought after coming here with the begging bowl of his elder brother, if he would now say that he didn't want to be initiated it would be an insult to his elder brother. To insult him was impossible, so impossible was to forget Nagila.
Vacilating thus he took initiation. He thought, so long Bhavadatta lived he would be there. Thereafter he would return to Nagila.
After long twelve years Bhavadatta left his mortal frame. Bhavadeva that very night when all were asleep escaped from the hermitage and was on his way home.
After crossing the paddy field he arrived at last at his own village. The dawn was just breaking.
The way to his house was beside the mango grove. There near a well he saw two women drawing water.
Before entering the village Bhavadeva had a second thought. Whether his home was in tact or had fallen down, whether Nagila was still there or not ? If she was not there the emptiness of that house would be more poignant than the cry of a dumb being. Then why not he would ascertain from them the whereabout of Naglia before entering the village. If she was not still there he would return from where he had come.
So when he asked one of the women about Nagila she began to look at him intently. Her eyes moistened. She said, 'Don't you recognise me ?
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