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138
SHRAMAN MAHAVIR
of Gaushalak He was convinced that destiny fulfill itself 1 I shall narrate only a few of the events that occurred to convert him to this ideology
'Once we were enroute to Kurmagram from Sidhpur 2 There was a field in the way There was a sesamum plant in it with seven flowers on its stalk Gaushalak sought to know of me if it were to have fruition
'It shall fructify,' said I, 'the seven flowers growing into seven seeds in one pod"
I moved ahead, Gaushalak turned back He visited the field and uprooted the plant in question
'After a few days halt at Kurmagram we were going back to Sidhpur Said Gaushalak, 'Sire! The sesamum plant has not fructified, the one you had predicted to fare well'
'I pointed my finger at the plant and said, 'This is that very sesamum plant which I had predicted to fructify and which you uprooted' Gaushalak disbelieved it He approached the plant. He opened its pod He saw seven sesamum seeds into it He was astoutnded He said in astonishment
'How did it happen, sire?'
"I said, 'You had pulled the plant up by its roots Thereafter it rained A cow passed that way Its hoof pressed the plant again into the soil'
'The seed of the inevitability of destiny struck root in the mind of Gaushalak He reverted to his habitual thinking The destiny must fulfil itself Death results in the reincarnation of jivas (individuals of different species) in their own species
'Gautam heard the Lord in rapt attention He could vividly grasp the metaphysical intricacies of the discourse Every subtlety of the Lord's preaching was clear to him to further quench his curiosity he said, 'My Lord! I am keenly desirous
1 'Avashyarchurni ipt p 283. 2. Tenth year of the pursuits 3 'Avashyakchurni', I pt. pp. 297, 298
