Jain Stories 02

Author(s): Mahendramuni, K C Lalwani
Publisher: A B Jain Shwetambar Terapanth Samaj

Page 42

20
JAINA STORIES
call your family profession is at every stage a sinful act. You need take a look at yourself”
Haribala felt a stir within himself. His thought got encouragement. The seed of piety hidden in him came up. As if spontaneously, the following words mixed with are came out from his mouth :
"Oh great muni, save me I am deeply immersed in acts of killiog It is not possible that I get out cf them You show me the way"
The muni looked at Harbala. Pity was taking shape og his face The mimi wabted him to desist wholly from acts of killing but this was too much to expect. So he found a way out for him, and said,
“Fisherman, I suggest that you spare your first catch, kul it not This may be easy for you Isn't it so ?
Harıbala thought for a moment and ther, mastering courage, he said,
"Oh muni, I accept this. From this day on, I shall not kill my first catch"
The muni went on his way and Harıbala turned to his work. The power of spiritualism, when it is awaken, knows po limit and is capable of washing away all the sins. Haribala threw his net in the river As he pulled it, he felt it to be heavy. The catch was a big fish. But he remembered the vow; so be tied a shell round its neck and restored it to the stream He cast his net for the second time, but as ill-luck would have it, the catch was the same fish and this happened several times, and on each occasion he restored it to the stream It was already noon and the fisherman had no catch for himself. So he changed the place But the fish too did the same and even there he caught the same fish in his net. He changed the place several times, but with no better result, as if at every point in the stream, there was no other aquatic The sun was Dow on the western shy but the fisherman had not earned his day's subsistence. But he remained steadfast in bis von aod did not repent for it.