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In The Forest Of Dandakaranya
"Palak! We do not desire either kingdom or royal splendour. I renounced my prosperous Kingdom of Shravasthi. I have renounced the samsar. So, the question of my desiring kingship does not arise. Why do you increase your sin by making this false accusation against us?"
451
Skandakacharya was deeply pained by Palak's harsh words. He closed his eyes and tried to remember the words of his Gurumaharaj. He remembered his words.
"You will have to face terrible calamities." Now he sensed the conspiracy of Palak. Just then, he again heard Palak's harsh words. "Prince! Get ready with your five hundred friends to face death. All of you will be killed and buried here. You will have to taste the bitter fruit of your offence here in the presence of all, in the midst of all."
Palak's arrogant laughter echoed through the garden. Then, his soldiers surrounded the garden. He got heavy iron-bars and prepared a contrivance for punishing them. The Acharya looked at his followers in a serene manner. Then, he said in an affectionate manner :
"Dear Munis! Today we are facing a terrible calamity. I think our death has approached. Palak has made a false accusation against us. He has slung mud against our fair names. He has declared us traitors and is bent upon killing us as a punishment. Yet he is not our enemy. ...he is a friend. He is greatly helpful to us in destroying our karmas. Therefore, you must forgive him and face the situation with smiling faces. O you sadhus! You know very well that the soul is different from the body. You also know very well that Palak will crush only our bodies; not our souls. He will grind our bodies in the crusher; he cannot harm our souls. When he throws us into the crusher, you must think of the Arihant Bhagwan with a pure mind and destroy our karmas. This is what you have to do now."
"Dear munis! You have been following the path of spiritual elevation like lions, and you have been following the path of purity with determination. To-day, you have the opportunity of pouncing upon karmas like lions. Do not lose this opportunity of destroying your karmas."
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