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KARAKAŅDACARIU
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9. Having adored him, they asked the ascetic "Oh excellent sage: listen to us, pure-uninded as you are. While wandering about, we obtained a Jina image which possessed multifold powers. While proceeding with it to our own town, we placed if on this mountain-peak. But when, after worshipping in the cave, we went back to fetch it, it would not move froin the place. What shall we do? Shall we live or shall we die, oh lord ? " Hearing that, the great sage told them " This shall be a great sacred place. Your brother, in his next birth, shall obtain the Right Faith of manifold virtues.” Hearing this, both the brothers, in half a moment, devoutly betook themselves to penances. Amitavega, having multitudinous Vidyās, abandoning his handsome body, went to heaven, having practised penance:, aar there became a pleasing god.
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10. In the mean while, the younger brother, honoured amongst people, took, for a period of twelve years, in the presence of his preceptor and in a great hurry, the famous row of eating on alternate days. Then one day, he felt very uneasy under the pressure of the twenty-two penitential hardships. Being afflicted by hunger and thirst, what he dil was that he thought of going to another village. Going there, he ate and drank water but declared to the people that he had kept a fast. In another village, the next day, he declared a fast openly to the people. In this manner, he lived on for many day's deceiving people by street words. Fraudulently did Suuega practise renance and having died, he became an elephant in the forest. Whoever observes religion with hypocrisy controlling his body after the manner of a crane, he, the hoarse yelling vagabond, foolish-min.led, obtains the greatest miseries.
11. Then, Amitavega who had become an immortal, dwelling.in heaven, thought in his mind“ Where could my younger brother be born ?".
Then by clairvoyance it became known to him. Out of kindness for him, he started swiftly and in a moment came to the forest in which the elephant dwelt. Assuming the garb of an ascetic he approached the elephant and in very sweet words he spoke to the elephant " Oli listeu Suvega; you have had troubles of many kinds. You practised penance with hypocrisy which has false belief for its root. By that powerful sin you have become an elephant". Hearing those words of his, the elephant came to the feet of the sage, recollecting his previous life, turning his eyes up to his head, rolling
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Shree Sudharmaswami Gyanbhandar-Umara, Surat
www.umaragyanbhandar.com
