Jainism For Beginners Level 02

Author(s): Sayampurnashreeji
Publisher: Sayampurnashreeji

Page 89

The celestial beings had actually come to pay their respects to Bhagawan Mahavir who had arrived at Pavapuri at the same time. After attaining Keval-jnan. Bhagawan Mahavir was going to deliver his first sermon & establish the Jain order.
Sudharma grew up under the loving care of his parents. At an appropriate age, he went to a well-known Ashram (boarding school), where he studied the Vedas, Upanishads, & all other Hindu (Brahmanical) literature. He was a diligent scholar. By the time he returned from school, he was famous & well respected as a learned Brahmin Pandit. He then started his own school, which became a center of great learning. Over five hundred pupils from all over the country came to study under his tutelage.
At that time in Pavapuri (also known as Apapa), a city in Bihar, there lived a prosperous Brahmin named Somil. He had organized a great sacrificial Yajna. He invited all the well-known scholars of the time to the event. Indrabhuti Gautam, who was the most learned Brahmin of that time, was the presiding priest. His equally learned brothers, Agnibhuti & Vayubhuti, attended along with seven other wellknown Pandits. Sudharma was also invited.
Indrabhuti was outraged that the celestial beings did not pay their respect to his sacrificial rite. He decided to debate with Bhagwan Mahavir in order to prove to the celestial beings that he was more knowledgeable than Bhagwan Mahavir. So he left with his five hundred followers to debate with Lord Mahavir. He went to the place where Bhagwan Mahavir was giving the sermon. As he approached, the Lord welcomed him saying, "Welcome Indrabhuti Gautam." Indrabhuti was surprised. Then Bhagawan Mahavir addressed his doubts pertaining to the existence of the soul. After the explanation Indrabhuti & his 500 followers became the disciples of Bhagwan Mahavir.
GANDHARSACHARYAS
At the appointed time, the sacrificial ceremony began. At that time, the attendees noticed many celestial chariots descending towards the earth. Indrabhuti & the other priests were jubilant that they could persuade the celestial beings to descend & accept their respects. However, they were soon disappointed to see that the chariots passed over their ceremonial site & continued towards the nearby Mahasen forest.
Since Indrabhuti did not come back, his brothers Agnibhuti, Vayubhuti, & another Pandit. Vyakta, went to Bhagawan Mahavir one after another. Bhagawan Mahavir welcomed them, & addressed their doubts pertaining to different aspects of the soul & Karma. All of them were satisfied with Lord Mahavir's knowledge & they, along with their own disciples, became disciples of Lord Mahavir.
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