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JAIN RAMAYAN
night for the light, compared to you who are mighty and stolid like a mountain the very abode of grace and compassion, heroism and light ? If you are like the eagle the King of birds, I am like a mean vulture. To-day, you have saved me from the dreadful jaws of all-devouring death whose night is dateless. I am wholeheartedly grateful to you for the grace you have bestowed upon me despite my foolish and thoughtless actions. Truly, you are venerable; and worthy of worship and adoration”.
Thus, Ravan saluted and glorified Vali, the Mahamuni; humbly entreated him to forgive his offences; and with overflowing devotion, he performed three circumambulations around Vali, the sage.
The Mahamuni had attained to a state of proximity to Kaivalya the supreme state. He was absolutely free from all attachments and hatred. By means of his superhuman austerities and his profound absorption in meditation he had attracted the attention of even the greatest gods in heaven.
Because he had saved holy places from being destroyed; because he had saved millions of jivas from being decimated; because he had risen completely above all attachments and hatred; because of the way in which he had dealt with Ravan teaching him a lesson and making him realize and repent his blunders; and because he had bestowed compassion on Ravan after he sought his refuge and because he had displayed extraordinary intellectual and emotional equanimity the gods and goddesses praised him heartily and showered flowers upon him. uttering cries of joy and jubilation. Vali, the valiant was now resplendent with tremendous spiritual splendour.
A vast tide rose in the heart of Ravan which was like an ocean of devotion; and so, again he placed his forehead on the feet of the great Muni and felt supremely blessed. Those who deem Ravan a demon i.e. a Rakshasa can visualize in the light of these various events of his life, the truth about his tremendous personality and can see that he was a man of exceptional magnanimity; that he was capable of lofty devotion and that he was a man of extraordinary patience and heroism both physical and
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