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caravan desirous of going to Śrāvasti halted there for the night. The members of the caravan party suffering from cold, lighied a fire, warmed themselves for a long time, and in the morning all of them went away. The fire was not extinguished before they went, and so, taking a more serious form the fire reached the locality where śramaņa Bhagavān Mahāvīra was standing in religious contemplation. Gośāla at once cried out " O Bhagavān Run away. This fire is coming very near." But not in the least disturbed mentally, Sramana Bhagavān Mabāvira stood where he was. The feet of śramaņa Bhagavān Mabāvīra were burnt by the quickly spreading fire, and he endured the burning fire as if it were a bandle paste or rain water or cold water. On seeing this unsuitable state, Gośāla terrified with danger, ran away very far off for safety.
When the fire abated, Šramaņa Bhagavān Mahāvira went to a village named Mangala and remained in contemplation in a temple of Vasudeva. Gośāla also sat concealed in a corner of he temple. But becoming greatly dissatisfied owing 10 want of sport, quarrel or amusement Gośāla began to look in all directions like a monkey missing a leap At that time, some village-children came there for play. On seeing them, thinking as if he had acquired a treasure of gems or a new lease of life, Gośāla inetantly ran speedily towards them with the object of terrifying them with the cavity of his mouth wide open, his tremulous tongue protruding, and with his loathsome eyes moving in various directions. On seeing such a hideous form suddenly coming towards them, ail the village-children, becoming greatly terrified, ran away instantly towards the village. By stumbling while running fast, some of the children had their thighs broken, some of them had their heads broken, some had their feet sprained, some of the children lost their ornament, and the rest lost their clothes. On looking at the bewilderment of the children, their parents found out Gośāla as the source of mischief, and, threatening him by saying "O cruel devil ! why do you terrisy our chilren;" they beat him severely. Some wise persons of the village on seeing him so beaten, prohibited them saying
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