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ing some curiosities, and they had mutual discourses. Gośāla studied some-thing of the Science of Augury from them, and by his predictions of past and future events, he became widely known. But who can penetrate into his. naturally ill-behaved nature ? What to say about a man of wicked disposition who accident ally acquired a piece of learning? Then, Śramana Bhagavān Ma hävira-handsome, and entirely destitute of moha (Infatuation) -became free from Gośāla, like the Moon liberated from the defiling influence of Rabu-and he began to move about alone from place to place.
Eventually, Śramaṇa Bhagavan Mahavira- the destroyer of the covering of evil Karmas by religious meditation as violent as the intense fire of the time of the annihilation of the world, and the illuminator of all the directions like the Rising Sun by the mass of beauty resembling genuine gold purified by firearrived at Vaiśālī. In that town, there lived a feudatory prince named Sankha-a friend, from childhood, of King Siddharth-who knew the nine principles commencing with Jiva, A-Jiva etc; of Jaina tenets, who restrained his vowlessness by the practice of various minor vows, and who was observing minor vows of a house-holder อก account of his fear of wandering in various existences. The feudal prince Sankha, readily recognized Śramana Bhagavan Mahavira, and gave him hospitable reception with much devotion, and great pomp After a few days, Śramana Bhagavān Mahavira went in the direction of Vāņijya-grāma. Before arriving at Vanijya-grama Śramana Bhagavan Mahavira had to cross a big river named Ganḍakikā,--swelling with fickle waves, with both the banks full of much water, with the middle portion unfathomable like the heart of a female, and habited by tortoises, fishes, and other aquatic animals, in the same manner, that a battle-field is furnished with well-equipped warriors, horses, elephants, and chariots. While going to the other bank of the river in a boat, Śramaņa Bhagavan Mahavira was detained by boat-men for his fare. It was Mid-day. Sand of the river had become very warm with intense heat of the Sun. The lotus-like soft feet of Sramaņa Bhagavan Mahāvīra became greatly heated.
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