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Dikså of Skandaka Kätyiyana
At that time, there lived, in a monastery near Sravasti Nagari, a parivrâjaka ( a wandering mendicant ) named Skand. aka of Katyāyana Gotra. He was well-versed in Védas, Védai. gas, Purāņa, and Vedic Literature. He was engaged in philoso-- phical pursuits, and he was attached very devoutly to severe austerities When śramaņa Bhagavāna Mahăvira had come to Chatrapalasa Caitya of Kayangalā Nagari, Skandaka had been to Srāvastî on some business there. There., he met with a Nirgrantha Sramaņa (A Jaina ascetic ) named Pingalaka of Vaisāti Śramaņa Pingalaka asked Skandaka the following five questions viz 1:-0 Māgadha! (a citizen of Magadha-déśa) 1. Is there a limit of Loka or not 2. Is there an end to the Jiva (a living being) or not 3. Is there an end to Siddhi (Final Emancipation) or not, 4. Is there an end to Siddhas (Accomplished Souls) or not and O Magadha! 5. Dying by which variety of death, the living being can increase or decrease ? Having asked him five questions at a time, the Nirgrantha waited for an answer.
Skandaka Katyāyana very carefulty listened to the questions, and attentively thought over them, but he could not answer. The more he thought over them, the greater his mind became full of doubts Pingalaka repeated his questions two or three times, but Skandaka was not able to answer them.
The news of the arrival of Sramana Bhagavāna Mahavira at Chatrapālasa Caitya had spread rapidly in Śrävastî Nagari, There were talks about it, in squares, market-places, streets, and in lanes, and the road to Chatra-palasa Caitya became thronged with thousands of visitors.
On seeing this activity of the people of Grâvasti with his own eyes, * Skandaka Katyāyana became ready. With the idea
*तेणं कालेणं तेणं सपएणं समणे भगवं महावीरे राजगिहाओ नग
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