Risabha Deva

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

Page 47

WORLD-LIGHT AND SANNYASA
33
months. He then set out to seek some kind of nourishment. But at that time no one knew what to give to the Divine Saint, and how. The WORLD TEACHER passed through many villages and towns, but no one was able to offer Him food in the way in which it could be accepted. Whenever He went people brought cash, precious stones, water to batle, and even offered to give Him lands, but He did not want any of these things. Some did bring food to Him also but it was not prepared an offered in the proper way and could not be accepted.
Six months more passed away like this, through which no food or water was taken by the Lord. But it was a mere incident for Him; He was not disturbed by it in the least. Even ordinary saints are expected to remain unaffected by the non-obtainment of food. If death occur for want of nourishment, it will be only an incident, and no more! He who has put his hand to the plough must, on no account, look back. If the saint die under the circumstances, unmoved and unaffected by the want of food, it is a positive gain; if he yield to the impulse of hunger, or die grumbling and cursing his hard luck, it is a 'fall' !
Risabha Deva was absolutely unmindful of the pangs of hunger, and never once bestowed a thought on the subject. He moved about still occupying Himself with Self-contemplation, and paying no heed to the physical needs.
Only once in the morning when people take their breakfast would He visit the habitations of men