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Even during Paryushan Parva he could not fast even for a single day. As he ate his food on the days of Parva, he felt miserable and regretted that he was not able to fast. He attributed his inability to fast to his previous Karmas. When the other monks observed their fasts, he praised them and rendered every type of service to them. He wished in his heart that he could someday observe fasts.
the body and mind. That gave rise to the manifestation of the true nature of the soul. His realization was strong enough to destroy all the defiling karmas on the spot and he gained omniscience (keval-jnan) while he was eating. When one attains omniscience heavenly beings arrive to offer their obeisance. When other monks saw heavenly beings coming towards them, they felt that the heavenly beings were coming to praise them for their severe austerities. Instead, they turned to kurgadu and offered their obeisance to him. No one understood why those observing severe austerity were left out while the one who could not observe had gained full enlightenment.
It was during one monsoon season that an event occurred that changed his situation. During the monsoon season. Jain monks forgo traveling and remain in one place for the duration of the monsoons. Paryushan Parva falls during the monsoon season. During this Paryushan Parva, While eating, Kurgadu dwelt deeply on the inability of his body to remain without food even for a day Well read as he was, he could see that it must be the result of his previous Karma. He understood that all Karmas are shed after extending the appropriate consequence and this Karma too would be shed, made up his mind to passively accept what had been ordained by his Karma. Because of his study of scriptures, he had gained insight about the true nature of his soul. Despising himself for not observing fast was functioning as a handicap to the full realization of that true nature. Now, his willingness to accept what was a physical limitation endowed him the insight of distinguishing the nature of soul from the varving states of
In amazement, they went to Dharmaghosh-Suri and asked him the reason for what had happened. The Acharya said that all of them were feeling very proud of their austerities and were unnecessarily disapproving of Kurgadu for not observing a fast. Thereby they were smeared by perception obscuring Karma that obscured right perception. He urged them to bear in mind that the primary purpose of observing austerities or any other religious practice was to gain modesty that leads to right perception and in turn helps to attain equanimity. They had misjudged Kurgadu who had realized the essence of religion. Earlierhehadacquired obstructing Karma that did
STORIES PRECEDING BHAGWAN MAHAVIR
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