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176
Lord Mahavira
a nearby field. He took his animals and went away without paying any heed to Mahâvîra's pains.
The Lord experienced terrible pain, but did not protest or think of taking revenge on the ignorant farmer. It was due to the fact that he was beyond mundane existence. He was only thinking : "How ignorent are the people ? They commit sins without knowing their consequences. I have dedicated my whole life for the betterment of the masses thry can use me as an instrument for their final beatitude; but I am horribly, greived when they make me an instrument of hell. Let discrimination come to them. Let their ignorance vanish and light of knowledge dawn upon them.
Indra, the King of God, once appeared before Lord Mahâvîra and said : “Lord, I say unto you that the ignorant people will put you to great hardships. As such, I wish to extend my services to you, I shall always be with you and protect you from the troubles." The Lord said, “Oh Indra ! This can never be, I have indomitable courage. I will work for my own emancipation. Man is the architect of his own fortune. Self-illuminated : souls-never seek help from others. They face all their tribulations happily.”
Mahâvîra experienced all these brutal pains and became more and more spiritual-minded. He taught, “Pains should be entertained and endured because they lead to purification of the sins and engender the feeling of fearlessness and equanimity. Body is mortal. Soul is immortal. Pain is inflicted on the body, not on the soul, Forbearance leads to beatitude.”
Udrayana was the great monarch of Sindhusouvira. He was an ardent disciple of Lord Mahâvîra. Once the Lord went to his country. The monarch came out to pay his respects with all his paraphernalia.' He was obsessed with his opulence and considered himself to be the only man of high riches. People of all ranks were pouring in to hear the Lord—They too had come each in his own grandeur. The king saw them and felt a mean satisfaction to notice that none was fortunate enough to rival him. He felt unbounded happiness. But after a while, he was painfully disappointed to see a greater monarch, with more riches approaching the Lord. He felt that his affluence was meagre as compared to the other's. He wanted to subdue him at any cost
