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'How do you say that Utpal? Why do you behave so strangely today?'
'There is nothing strange in me, sire, I am all regrets and shame'
'How come?'
'Don't you know my Lord who stands before you?'
'It's a common prisoner before me'
'He is no prisoner He is the great aspirant of freedom, Lord Mahavira!'
The name of Mahavira had an electric effect on the king He rose to unbind the Lord himself and sincerely apologised for his officers' conduct The Lord was quiet when put in bondage he was quiet when freed 1
SHRAMAN MAHAVIR
His mind had thrown wide open the doors of deliverance and therefore the arrest of the body displeased him not nor did the release exhilarate What a curious experiment it was to imprison what which was already a captive
(8) Every phenomenon need not invariably have a casual basis There are events that have no rational explanation The deer subsists on grass and still the hunters stalk him The poor fish is happy in her watery world and still the fishermen spare it not The gentlefolk stay contented in themselves and still the envious crooks don't leave them to their own lot
The Lord meditated standing at Tosli village 2 Sangam Deo was attempting to distract him He entered the village in the guise of a sadhu to do housebreaking The people caught and be laboured him He said, 'Why beat me please?'
'You are the robber who broke the house Who else would be beaten?'
'Do I come here to thieve of my own accord? It is my master who has abetted me to come hither
1
2
'Who happens to be your master?'
'Let me take you to him'
'Awashyakchurni' I pt. p 294 Eleventh year of the pursuits
