________________
80
Monks 'Dilemma
Monks' Dilemma
81
seven groups of musical bands in front of elephants, horses, tableaus, women, and men. At the end was a chariot carrying the idol of Tirthankara in front of which boys, girls and men were dancing. It was almost a kilometre long procession and took four hours to reach the venue. Dancing is a lascivious sensual activity and is hindrance in spirituality as mentioned in the scriptures. Yet the contractors of religions have sanctified it by integrating in religious functions which is manifestation of their latent sex urge. The institution of Devdasis in temples is a glaring religious aberration.
One of the members of the managing committee spotted and recognised Deepak and requested him to come with them to witness the food taking procedure of the Acharya at a nearby place in the precincts of the temple where the Acharya was staying. Deepti was very eager to see it.
It was 9.30.a.m. when Acharya came out of his room, went towards a secluded make shift enclosure at the remote corner of the compound. Deepti enquired about it and was told that it was a toilet place for him as he did not use modern flush toilet because innumerable micro-organisms in the urine and faeces get killed there. He returned, washed his hands and feet with water in a wooden coconut shaped pot, being carried by an attendant. He then moved a broom of peacock feathers over his entire body. He did this every time he went from shade to a sunny area so that the organisms acclimatised to shade do not get harmed. He then went inside the temple, swept the place where he paid obeisance, bowed, prostrated and uttered some hymns. He came out of the temple and moved towards rooms on the other side with his one palm touching his shoulder. There were groups of men and women with water pots covered by coconuts, shouting, "Come, come
here food and water is pure." He will stop at one place and move to another and stopped at the third. There the men and women uttered, “Namostu several times." They then circumambulated thrice, seated him on a wooden stand, washed his feet, worshipped him offering eight substances, rice, coloured rice, peeled coconut pieces, water, almonds etc. He was then taken inside a room. He stood clasping his little fingers all the time and took meals in his palms offered by devotees one by one in turn. Deepti counted over forty varieties of food items, varieties of sweets, juices, vegetables, pulses, milk, curd and what not. Below his hands was a big metal pot covered with grass and a lot was falling in it from his palms. About not confining to one place only for food Deepti was explained that the monks decided on the basis of certain conditions such as colour of the dress of the devotees, some weird article to be there etc. and did not tell anyone about it. Alternatives are arranged just on guess. The concept behind this is to put restrictions so that they observe fast to the maximum and thus strengthen their detachment of the body. After meals were over, his hands, feet and body smeared with food items were washed and dried with cloth by the devotees. He then left for the venue.
Deepti caught the hand of Deepak and both went to see the monk's toilet. It was all covered with sand to be removed along with the excreta daily by sweeper. They ran back and joined the retinue following the Acharya who joined the procession which was then only a little distance away from the venue. The timing was so synchronised that the Acharya did not need to walk long yet shown to have joined the procession.
The idol was taken and placed on a brick and mortar
