Sthaviravali

Author(s): Ratnaprabhvijay
Publisher: Jain Granth Prakashak Sabha

Page 24

and Prabhāsa gye, each of them with a pupilage of three hundred each. Akampita had a doubt about Naraka; Acala bhràtâ about Punya qoy Merit; Métarya about Para-loka Tat next world: and Prabhâsa had a doubt about Moksha #1 Salvation. Each of these eleven learned Brahmins bad a doubt in their mind, but no one would ask the other for the solution of his doubt for fear of losing his fame as a Sarvagna panan Omniscient. These eleven Acărayas had altogether forty-four hundred pupils with them. There is no wonder that ordinary individuals will entertain undue importance for it sacrificial ceremony conducted by such well-versed scholars of different countries and it is but natural that many orthodox persons, on hearing the fame of the gentleman undertaking the Yagna, and the fame of learned scholars conducting the ceremony, may visit the place for Darsana ta seeing; and the A pápà a Nagari was over-flowing with Brăhmins and other individuals. It is also natural that, on seeing a large multitude of visitors from different countries, the Acăryas and Upădhyňyas performing the sacrificial ceremonies and their pupils, may become very glad and muy entertain a very high opinion about themselves.
At the moment, when Sramana Bhagavān Mahāvira acquired Kèvala Jnana *7 fra Perfect knowledge, the Indras be. came full of joy by the shaking of their thrones and they went there to pay homage to the Venerable Ascetic, and having paid their respects they prepared a Samavasarana for him. The place became filled up with gods of the four kinds, human beings, and lower animals. Although S'ramana Bhagavan Mahāvira knew that there was none capable of taking Bhàgavati Diksă rogat alar. Initiation into an Order of Monks after renouncing all worldly pursuits—in the whole assembly, he sat in the middle of the Samavasarana and preached Dharma, knowing it to be the established usage of Tirthankaras. The preaching of a Tirthankara is never fruitless; there is always some individual who becomes enlightened by the preaching and accepts Diksā, still however, it is a strange event, that the first preaching of Sramana Bhagavân Mahāvīra was abortive, as no one was enlight.