Jain Lesson II

Author(s): JAINA Education Committee
Publisher: Diwakar Prakashan

Page 66

(Lesson 21 SAGE KAPIL
In Kaushambi there was a royal priest named Kashyap Shastri. He had a son who was named Kapil. Kapil grew up in luxury and did not care for studying. Consequently when his father died, the priesthood was passed on to another Brahmin. Kapil's mother was sad to see this happen. She thought, “If only my son would have studied, he would have become the royal priest.” Tears rolled down her eyes. When Kapil saw that, he asked, “Mother, why are you crying? What is wrong?"
The mother sighed and said, “My son, I regret that you did not become the royal priest. If you would have studied well, you would have succeeded your father's position.” These words moved Kapil. He made up his mind to get a good education. He went to a friend of his father in the city of Shrāvasti. His name was Indradatta Upādhyāya.
Indradatta was known all over the country as a highly learned man and many students came to him to learn. He was glad that Kapil wanted to study and he started teaching him. According to the practice of that time Kapil had to get his food by asking for alms. That took too much of his time and affected his studying. Indradatta therefore requested a wealthy man of the town to arrange his food. The man arranged for Kapil's food at the place of a young Brahmin widow, named Manorama.
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