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6
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He was playing once with his comrades the game called "Amalki The game is played around an 'Amla tree The young participants ran round the tree The one who climbed and then unclimbed the tree before others was the champion The winner would ride over the back of the loser and thus travel upto the remotest point.
Prince Vardhman climbed a Peepul* tree before all others. A serpent followed him in his wake and clung round the tree trunk. Other juvenile players ran out of scare Prince Vardhman would not be frightened He readily got down the tree, caught hold of the snake and threw it aside.1
SHRAMAN MAHAVIR
Schooling:
Prince Vardhman was a prodigy. His singular wisdom transcended natural intellect Extra-sensory-perception was his forte. However he never demonstrated these virtues to anybody He was entering the ninth year of his life His parents thought it opportune to begin his schooling now A tutor was engaged to teach him Vardhman would listen attentively to him
A Brahmin paid them a visit He possessed a noble demeanour and an imposing bearing. The royal tutor seated him with great honour The Brahmin put a few questions to Vardhman-How many modes of letters are there?
How many alternatives do these have?
The young scholar duly answered these questions. The long volley of questions thus put is still extant but the answers offered have been lost As is the practice, the problems persist while their solutions are thrown into oblivion
The tutor was astonished to hear the answers On further probe it emerged that the knowledge imparted to Vardhman had already been known to him The teacher prevailed upon
+ Emblic myrobalan
*The sacred fig
1
'Awashyakchurni', first part p 246
