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276
SHRAMAN MAHAVIR
Kumar Atimuktaka visited the Lord alongwith Gautam. He greeted the Lord and heard him preaching He felt disinclined to return home He begged to be initiated The prayer was granted subject to his obtaining the parental consent. Atimuktaka left for obtaining filial consent He greeted them and said,' I come from Lord Mahavira
'Good of you, Kumar' 'Mother! I liked him much' 'He is really good, child One likes him on that account' 'I crave, mother, to live with him'
'Son! The Lord does not reside in houses We are, on the other hand, householders We cannot reside with him.'
'Mother! I wish to become a houseless monk and stay with him'
'You are a child, son Your mind is still immature Can you follow the spiritual doctrines ?'
'Mother! That which I know, I know not That which 1 know not, I know'
'How is it son that what you know you know not and what you know not, you know?'
'Mother! I know that whoever is born is destined to die But I don't know where, when and how this aestiny will fulfil itself
"I have still to learn what deeds enable the tiryancha (animal) to attain human, infernal or divine planes of existence
'Mother! I do not know what I know and what I know not But I am keen to learn these intricacies Pray, permit me to submit myself to His Holiness'
The parents realised that higher wisdom had dawned upon him Never in the past had he shown interest in such spiritual riddles His sentiments and awareness cast a spell over them They were constrained to allow him to be initiated Kumar was initiated by the Lord His curiosities were satisfied The foresight of the Lord detected his potentialities to be developed in due course I 1 'Antgadadasao', 6/71-96
