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On the Banks of Rewa...
you. Your arrival has hallowed my court. May I know the purpose of your visit? Oh Lord, kindly tell me how I may serve you".
The Mahamuni replied in a serious and dignified tone;
"Oh King! I was formely the King of Mahishmati. My name was Shatabahu. I realized the futility of Samsar. I became aware of the cycle of birth and death; and I renounced it. I realized the necessity of renouncing the Samsar. The Samsar, I felt abounded in anguish rather than felicity. Naturally, I became detached from the Samsar. Self-sacrifice and detachment took the place of attachment and selfishness. The royal throne became a bed of thorns and all the delicious drinks and food appeared to be as harmful as poison. I began to feel that beautiful young ladies were poisonous snakes; and that friends and relatives seemed to be foes. In consequence, I renounced life; received initiation into the Charitradharma after handing over the Kingdom to Prince Sahasrakiran.
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"Then, is Sahasrakiran, the heroic warrior your son ?" Ravan asked, speaking in the middle, with overflowing eagerness.
"Yes. Sahasrakiran is my son"
"Gurudev! I set off from Lanka to conquer the world. The beautiful scenery of Mahishmati greatly fascinated me; and so I got my tents pitched here. When I was carrying out the worship of the Paramatma on the bank of the Rewa, the water polluted by the water-sports of Sahasrakiran flowed over the area and rendered the whole place unholy. On account of it, my worship of the Paramatma was disturbed. Then enraged by it, I fought against Sahasrakiran and captured him.
Later, I understood that what had happened was not intentional and that it had been done unknowingly; and a noble hero like Sahasrakiran would not have committed such a mistake knowingly. Would your noble son dishonour and displease the Paramatma? Not at all.”
Having said this, Ravan went into the inner chamber; and brought with him Sahasrakiran. Sahasrakiran feeling ashamed
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