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Jainism: The Cosmic Vision
us to take recourse to violence. It is forgotten that non-violence is the only solution to our individual, social and national problems and that it can bring about progress and prosperity in the country and global peace. Instead, aggressive mentality and violent acts are visible all around. People talk through the barrel of a gun. The need for a change in the mindset is far greater today than that it was 2600 years ago, as is the need for the creed of non-violence.
Non-violence means fearlessness in the face of death. On seeing Mahavira's mental concentration, endurance, firm perseverance and unflinching forbearance, Indra, the Lord of Gods, paid his obeisance to him and said in voice choked with emotion, "O Revered One, in granting forgiveness, you are like the earth, in enduring calamities, you are like a mountain, in steadfast persistence in spiritual efforts, you are like an ocean and in concentrating the mind, you are like a rock. Neither a man, nor a powerful god, nor a mighty demon can swerve you from the spiritual path you have adopted."
All agreed with Indra in his praise of Mahavira. But a god named Sangama could not tolerate this. He was very proud of his godhood. He wished to prove that man is nothing before god. He believed that a man, however great he might be, would succumb to the lures of wealth and damsels. Obtaining the permission of Indra, he arrived where Mahavira was standing in deep meditation. He thought: "Indra has made a mountain out of a mustard seed. I shall turn that mountain into a mustard seed again."
He put his plans into action. He played his tricks one by one on Mahavira. He inflicted innumerable favourable and
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