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Sec. II]
STUDIES IN THE BHAGAWATI SŪTRA
181
So he thought that he attained the last knowledge and intuition (Atiseṣa-jana-darśana) and proclaimed himself to the people of Hastinapura as the attainer of these two spiritual objects, after coming out of his hermitage from the forest on the bank of the Ganges.
Having listened to this matter in the presence of many people of that city talking about it, the houseless monk, Gautama, Indrabhuti, the first disciple of Lord Mahāvīra reported the whole incident to his Master who was passing time in the mangogrove called 'Sahasambavana' situated in that city.
On his request to know the truth regarding the existence of only seven islands and seven seas as declared by the royal sage, Śiva, Lord Mahavira explained in the assembly of his followers that there were more islands, such as, Jambudvipa, etc., and more seas, such as, Lavana-Samudra etc., including those seven islands and seven seas.
The message of this holy teaching of the Master immediately got circulated among the people of the city of Hastinapura who talked about it to one another, standing on the streets. Having listened to this matter in their presence the royal sage, Śiva became doubtful about his own spiritual knowledge and intuition. So he at once went to Lord Mahāvīra to know himself the true explanation regarding the number of islands and seas in the Universe.
He was convinced of the holy teaching of explanation of the Master on the subject and satisfied with his religious discourse.
Then the royal sage got initiated by Lord Mahavira to Sramana-Dharma and undertook the state of houselessness, the main characteristic of Sannyasa (ascetism of the fourth stage). He attained spiritual emancipation by practising various acts of austerities and meditation. Though this evidence of asceticism practised by the royal sage according to the Nirgrantha-religion does not truly represent the picture of the fourth stage of life as depicted in the Vedic texts, yet it gives an insight into the
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