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Lord Mahâvîra: A Revolutionary
191
The Lord continued: "This parable stresses that two eyes of one's own are more valuable than the eyes of a thousand others. Had that old man cared for his two eyes, he would not have died in that dreadful fire. Likewise education of self saves from all the hazards and perils, incessantly accruing in life. Go, acquire knowledge which is a precious treasure. Do not depend upon the knowledge of others. Ignorance deprives one of self-illumination. I say knowledge should be required for four reasons:
(a) To gain concentration of mind.
(b) To have the correct knowledge of things.
(c) To establish self in religion.
(d) To inspire, exhort, and establish others in the field of religion.
Knowledge is like a light. When you acquire knowledge you become like a light. Light dispels darkness. The light shines, it spreads light, it diffuses light.
Doubt leads to Destruction
It was a cold winter night. Chillana, the queen of the Magadha emperor Srenik, was asleep. The breeze was very cold and fresh, the sky was clear, the moon was shining and the stars were twinkling. Silence prevailed evreywhere. Srenika went to his bedroom and noticed that the queen was fast asleep. The sound of her breathing was clearly audible. All of a sudden the queen murmured in her sleep. "Oh ! what will he be doing?" The king heard these words and was dumb struck. The word 'he' pierced through his heard like a sharp arrow. He stood amazed for a while and thought, "the chastity of my wife is unquestioned, but the word 'he' and the manner of her expression engenders suspicion in me. It seems she has gone amiss and has done a wrong I cannot tolerate this misdemeanour, I must punish her."
He at once came out of the bed room and ordered his Prime Minister Abhyakumar to burn Chillana alive, by setting fire to the palace. The Prime Minister was a man of high wisdom and intrepidity. He pondered over the situation very deeply and decided, he would not burn the palace, but would wait and gather the facts.
Srenika went to Lord Mahâvîra and enquired about the chastity of his queen. The Lord said, "Oh king! She is pure and
