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Jainism : The Cosmic Vision yaksha would scare and prosecute the man and the man would die of fright. Fear itself is not dangerous, but the fear of fear is dangerous. Even Indrasharma, the worshipper of the temple, was afraid of the yaksha. But Mahavira was not afraid of anybody. He said, “I do not fear anybody and do not cause fear to anybody. I will stay in the temple for the night."
It was now getting dark. The priest of the temple had left. Mahavira was standing in deep meditation. Shoolpani, the yaksha, appeared. He had in his hand a terrible shoola (lance) glittering like lightning. He looked like fierceness itself. Thinking that he would get a bellyful for his food, he burst into a peal of cruel loud laughter. Even the strongest men were frightened by the laughter. But like a thunderbolt Mahavira stood firm and unperturbed. The yaksha assumed the forms of an elephant, an evil spirit and a snake. He inflicted endless wounds on Mahavira's body. By his miraculous powers, the yaksha caused severe pain in Mahavira's eyes, ears, nose, head and everywhere. But Mahavira stood firm like the Sumeru mountain.
The whole night Mahavira was visited with great calamities. At last Shoolpani, the yaksha, got dead tired. His monstrous physical strength surrendered to Mahavira's spiritual power in the end. Gradually his heart underwent a change. He bowed down at the feet of Mahavira and said, "O, Lord ! Pardon me. I did not recognize you."
Mahavira said, “It is an enemy that is pardoned. You are my friend."
The yaksha was surprised. He said, “Am I a friend ? And yours ? How much I tortured you !"
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