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drink for one month, and in the end, he acquired At Moksha Pada, the State of Final Emancipation, when he was ninetytwo years old.
Ganadhara Mahārāja Indrabhūti Gautama had a doubt in his mind about the existence of a Jiva, the Soul-whether the Soul existed or not, caused by various contradictory for Śrutis occurring in the Vedas and their incorrect explanations given by different learned sages. He had never expressed that doubt before anyone else, under the fear of losing his fame as a por Sarvagna, an Omniscient. But on hearing the name of another Sarvagna, he expressed a desire that he would call the other Sarvagna, as Sarvagna only when he discloses the doubt long-cherished in his mind, otherwise not by any means.
When, however, while approaching Śramaņa Bhagavān Mahāvira seated in the Sama vasara ņa, with the object of defeating his adversary in discussion, he was accosted, with very sweet nectar-like words, calling him by his name and his Gotra and also when Sramaņa Bhagavān Mahāvira disclosed the fact that he had a doubt about the existence of the Soul and that it was caused by various contradictory verses in the Védas, he was greatly pleased.
Sramaņa Bhagavān Mabăvira then explained in detail all his doubts about the Soul, with correct explanations of the verses from the Vedas. The subject has been fully discussed in the Third part of “Srama na Bhagavān Mahāvira” to which the reader is referred.
Ganadhara Mahārāja Indrabhūti Gautama having received the most correct explanations about all his doubts, took Dikśā along with his five hundred pupils.
(aņadbara Bhagavān Indrabhūti Gautama possessed such unusual divine powers that all those lucky persons who received
gally Bhagavati Dikśā, Initiation into the Order of Jain
