Jain Legend Vol 3

Author(s): Hastimal Maharaj, Shuganchand Jain, P S Surana
Publisher: Hastimal Maharaj Shugan C Jain P S Surana

Page 180

One day he was standing under a tree in the cremation ground near the pond on one leg while meditating on his self. At that time a number of rich Brahmin youths came there. To disturb Bodh i from his deep meditation, they started pelting stones and rocks on him and torture him with sticks. He started having severe pain, still he did not lose his concentration and continued to stand undisturbed and in deep meditation. Seeing Bodh i undisturbed, these Brahmin youths started pelting bigger stones at a faster rate and beat him with sticks. Blood started oozing from each major and minor part of his body. However Bodh i thinking that these youths are the cause of annihilating his karmas, he continued his auspicious meditation. Slightest anger or excitement did not rise in him. Seeing the torture and deep pains of innocent and ocean of forgiveness Bodh i, some divine forces became active angry on those there truant Brahmin youths. Suddenly blood started flowing nonstop from the veins on their faces. Immediately those truant Brahmin youths ran away towards their home like the sparrows fly away on hearing a thunder.
Seeing the blood flowing continuously from the faces and noses of the Brahmin youths, their parents, family members and neighbours started gathering around them. They made several attempts to stop the flow of blood but none succeeded. An old medical practitioner (vaidya) said, 'All these boys have similar type of blood flow. Therefore it is not a disease but an evil spirit causing this'. On pacifying those youths and being asked, one of them told the entire episode. Hearing this from the youth, all elders of the village ran towards the cremation ground. There they saw each and every part of Bodhi's body deeply hurt. Due to his severe penance, all blood from his body had dried yet some drops of blood were shining at scars all over his body. Seeing this, all the village elders looked with deep hatred and anguish those youths.
The parents of the hurt youths bowed at the feet of Bodh i and rubbed their noses to seek forgiveness from Bodh i for the sins committed by their children. Bodh i kept on standing in deep meditation. Like the vast Pacific Ocean, deep tranquillity kept shining on his face.
According to statements of a very old man of the village, sprinkling drops of the perspiration of Bodh i on the bodies of the hurt youths, the flow of blood from their faces and noses stopped. All the villagers
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