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264 SAKDALPUTRA SHRAVAK AND OURSELVES be qualified for salvation through the pandita-pandita mode of passage from death' to Life Eternal in Nirvana. The ar yaka sits down to take her food, but in other respects follows the rules by which saints of the opposite sex are governed.
Sakdalputra Shrayak and ourselves. N OW, once upon a time in the bright days of Jainism there
was a king named Jit Shatru, who ruled over Palaspur In his Kingdom there lived a pot-maker named Sakdal. I must tell you that Sakdal was one of the best Jain laymen that ever lived. All he wanted was to be good.
My Jain brothers to day will be surprised to read that a pot maker was once a Jain Shrawak, but if they will read their Shastras carefully, they will find that Jainism is not the monopoly of any class. It is an universal religion, and embraces within itself all those who believe in Ahinsa, Vishava Prem and
Tyag.
This Sakdal had amassed a great wealth which comes to about sixty crores of rupees. I fear, my brothers might not again stand aghast a pot-maker and sixty crores of rupees ! yes ! 'Sixty crores of rupees. Bharatvarsha of Sakdal's days was not so poor as it is to day. She never exported raw materials and took manufactured ones from outside as it does to-day. It had a large export of manufactured articles, and there is no surprise that Sakdal was so rich. There are tobacco merchants and bamboo merchants in America to-day, who are even richer than Sakdal.
Sakdal had about five hundred shops of earthern ware in different parts of the country and a large number of servants worked under him. He commanded a respectable position in the Jain Community of Shrawaks. But what about the descendents of Shakdal Putra to-day? They are filthy, half naked; uncivilised creatures, devoid of all religious benefits. They
can not enter our temples II They can not worship our Lord !! Shree Sudharmaswami Gyanbhandar-Umara, Surat
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