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During this time, the devotion of King Śrepika towards Sramaşa Bhagavāna Mahāvira went on increasing. They met each other very frequently.
One day when King Śrénika was sitting near Sramapa Bhagavāna Mahâvira, a man suffering from a virulent form of leprosy came there and after having respectfully saluted the Lord, he took his seat, like a rabid dog, very close to the feet of Sramana Bhagavāna Mahāvíra, and he fearlessly began to smear the feet of the Venerable Lord with the stinking offensive pus coming out from the ulcers on his body, as if it were sandalpaste. Śramana Bhagaväna Mahävira was perfectly calm but King Śrónika became greatly enraged at the man's insulrting behaviour.
At that time, śramapa Bhagavāna Mabivira had a sneeze. The leper instantaneously announced: May you die soon.' Then King Śrepika had a sneeze. The leper said: May you live long.' Then, Abhaya Kumāra had a sneeze. The leper said:- You live or die. And then, the butcher named Kalaskurika-who was in the assembly-had a sneeze. To him the leper said: You need not live and you need not die.'
King Sreņika was very curious to know the correct meaning. Śramapa Bhagavāna Mahävira explaining the words of the leper said: ---'0 king i When he told me to die soon, he meant to say that I was to attain Nirvana Pada (State of Final Eman cipation ) after my death and hence, if I died soon I will have the Eternal State of Pinal Beatitude earlier To you, O King ! he said “May you live long here,' because after your death, you are to be born as a Naraka' ( denizen of hell). If you live longer here, you will be happy here, and you will be saved from the agonies and torments of hell for the time being To Abhaya Kumāra he said:-"You live or die. Because if Abhaya Kumara lived longer, he would be doing pious deeds, and if he died, he would be born as a god in Anuttara Déva-loka Both these
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