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śvara went to the house of Ānand Śrāvaka. A maid-servant named Babullkā of Ādanda Śrăvaša saw the Venerable Bhagavān coming to the house while she was arranging house-hold utensils, and she offered fragrant rice. Not in the least disturbed, and think. ing the food perfectly harmless, Sramaņa Bhagavān Mahăvira, extended his naturally red auspicious hands, and she gave him the rice with great devotion at heart. At the time of break-fast on the completion of severe austerities, the sky was abounding in gods, demi-gods, and divine musicians greatly delighted at heart, and the celestial beings showered twelve and a half crores of gold coins, and flowers of various kinds. They played upon numerous musical instruments, and all the people in the village were immensely pleased. The maid-servant Bahulikā was given a purificatory bath under the shadow of the royal canopy, and she was sreed entirely from the trammels of slavery. When exce. llent financial prosperity can be achieved even during this worldly existence by giving gifts of food etc, with pious faith to worthy persons, what else cannot be said about future life? By the giving of gifts to deserving persons, meritorious persons cross the extensive ocean of worldly existence quite easily, as if it were a gospada ( mere trifle) even without practising severe austerities; the wealth of the three worlds can be obtained and all wished-for pleasures can be obtained. But the bighly praiseworthy supatra-dana (the virtue of giving gifts to deserving persons) is difficult to be obtained. Superior knowledge or excellent penance may, by accidental circumstances, prove fruitless, but supătra-dāna ( the giving of gifts to deserving persons ) done at the right moment never becomes fruit-less. Under the circum. stances, who being desirous of happiness of his own soul, will not try to give supătra dána capable of bestowing a succession of beneficent happenings. ?
After taking his break-fast out-side the village, Sramaņa Bhagavān Mahāvica went on his usual touring. He went to a country named Dradha-bhūmi populated by barbarians. Having commenced a three-days' fasting with his body a iittle bent, his un-winking eye- sight fixed on a life-less dry object; with all
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