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Appendix-2
took to the observance of great vows (mahāvrata) along with other attributes of asceticism and decided not to break His fast before the end of three days.
Although the Lord had been enjoying inner happiness all the time, after three days of Holy Meditation, the former Prince set out, barefoot, with no vestige of cloth on His body and unmindful of the pangs of hunger, towards the town of Kūlagrāma, ruled by king Kūla, to seek some kind of nourishment (āhāra) for His body so that it could withstand further rigours of austerity. King Kūla's happiness had no bounds when he suddenly saw such a divine, celebrated and accomplished recipient (pātra) in his compound and rushed to welcome the Lord. He made obeisance to the Lord by circumambulating thrice and then bowed to Him by touching the ground with five parts of his body. He offered to the World Teacher an eminent, high seat. He washed with extreme devotion the Lotus Feet of the Lord and applied the water that had become sacred after coming in contact with the Lotus Feet of the Lord to his forehead and other parts of body. He worshipped the Lord with great devotion and with pure and pious eight substances. With utmost humility and purity of heart he bowed and pleaded the Lord to accept his offering. His affectionate devotion to the Lord had made his heart pure. By articulating the glory of the Lord, he made his speech pure. By performing the aforesaid bodily activities, he attained the purity of his body. He pronounced with sincerity the purity of food. This way, with nine kinds of devotion (navadhā bhakti), King Kūla gave the supreme gift of pure food to the greatest of all saints. The devas witnessed the event with extreme delight and in approval of the noble act of offering food to the Most Worthy Recipient, rained down choice gems, flowers, and fragrant water in the royal compound. They made cheering sound of “Victory! Victory!” and beat the heavenly drums.
Lord Mahāvīra continued observing vows and austerities for twelve years (chadmasthakāla). Then He took to pure Self
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