Risabha Deva

Author(s): Champat Rai Jain
Publisher: Jain Mitra Mandal

Page 18

RISABHA DEVA
of his destiny for the future well-being of his soul. He devoted the whole of that period to the eradication of his lower nature, the subduing of his passions and emotional propensities, and the suppression of private loves and hatreds. He worked under the guidance of Svayambuddha all the time. Holy meditation, adoration of the Great Tirthamıkaras, of the Liberated Ones, of Saints and Preceptors and the ordinary Sadhus (ascetics), collectively termed Pancha-Parameșthi, recitation of the great obeisance mantram and the cultivation of the spirit of detachment from the physical body occupied his time, to the exclusion of all other thoughts. He began by giving up solid food at once; gradually other kinds of diet were also abandoned. Thereafter his sustenance consisted only of the ambrosia of dharına (the teaching of Truth)! He cultivatid to pertection, the spirit of mercy and compassion for all, especially for those who were unable to take care of themselves. He would not touch anything of worldly goods now. He would hurt no one. Even written scripture he would handle extremely carefully to see that by his carelessness he should not cause hurt or harm to some tiny specimen of life that might be hiding under it. He practised the ten noble virtues, forgiveness, meekness, straight-forwardness and the like that are the characteristics of the true dharma. He also practised self-control with regard to the activities of his body, mind and speech. In this way excellence after excellence was attained by him in the course of a month. Internal peace, strength of character