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JAINA LITERATURE IN TAMIL
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their mistake and appealed to him for mercy, for it was all due to the mischievous instigation of their leader Vidyuddanta and not of their own free will. Hence Dharaņēndra forgave them all. He would not, however, let go this wicked Vidyuddanta without proper punishment. Hence he wanted to bind this one wicked fellow at least for the purpose of ducking him to the sea. Just then one of the devas , assembled there, Ādityāpadēva, advised this young Dharaņēndra not to do any such thing. Dharaņēndra in reply said “How could I brook the suffering inflicted on my brother by this wicked fellow, and how could I accept your advice even in the presence of inexcusable evil?' To which Adityāpadēva replied: 'In this spiritual realm evil is not to be requited with evil. You attach so much importance to your relationship to your brother. But if you would only known the inter-relationship that you had in your previous births you would clearly realise the silliness in emphasising one particular relation in a long chain of multifarious relations that one has in series of births. Further, hatred and love are important factors in determining the future births ; the former gives a bad turn and the latter a good turn to one's future. Hence I would advise you not to worry yourself about this wicked Vidyadhara, Vidyuddanta. Even the yogin Sañjayanta who had to suffer so much pain at the hands of this wicked person had forgiven him because all this was done in ignorance. Hence why should you bind yourself with karma created of hatred by attempting to punish this wicked Vidyadhara ? Hearing this advice from his friend Adityāpadēva, Dharaņēndra requested him to give
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