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to a rich merchants' house for bhikṣā. A miserable beggar followed the sādhūs wherever they went and made repeated requests for food-materials. The beggar was very hungry since many days and there was none who can give hm food even out of pity in such an awkward condition. The sādhūs said."The question of giving you food or not rests with our Guru Mahārāja." The beggar followed the sādhūs ånd coming into the upăśraya, he very piteously requested me for food. By superior knowledge. I knew that this miserable beggar of this life, will be of great benefit to the Jama Religion during his next life and so, I told him:-1f you take dikşā you will have whatever you like to eat The beggar thought 'It is better to endure the slight inconvenience of Cāritra ( ascetic life ) than to suffer the pangs of hunger and misery' and so he took dikşā. Having got highly delicious food after suffering from hunger for a number of days, the beggar filled his belly full up to the brim His respirations becoming impeded, the beggar died during the night. On death with only one day's Cārîtra (ascetic life ) you were born as a son to Kunāla, the Lord of Avanti.'
On listening to the account of his previous life Samprati Mahārāja was greatly pleased. With a hw bow, he told the Guru Mahārāja:-"O Worshipful Master! You are my only rescuer. Had you not given me Biāgavati Dikşā during my previous life, I would not have acquired such a prosperous life. By giving me a prayahaņa ( a boat) in the sliape of Cāritra ( ascetic life ), you have saved me from being drowned in the ocean of worldly existence. I am, therefore, quite willing to do whatever I am ordered to do. Guru Mahārāja said:-"O king ! Take the shelter of Jaina Dharma which is the source of the happiness of svarga (heavens ), and Mokşa (Final Emancipation ); you will, thereby easily cross the fathonless forest of worldly existence. Guru Mahārāja, then, explained in details the Principles of the Jaina Religion. Samprati Mahārāja became & staunch adherent of Jainism, and he took the Twelve Vows of a House-holder.
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