Tale of Shree Nabhakraj

Author(s): Merutungacharya, Gunsundarvijay
Publisher: Divya Darshan Trust

Page 35

indirectly. How can one survive after taking poison!
Is it a wise step to borrow from a pathãn (those charging multiple / compound and exhorbitant rate of interest on loan given by them) - to repay the loan taken from a gentleman?
King Nābhāk :- 'O God! who is this wealthy man? How did he become a dog?' (The wealthy man gets the re-birth as a dog
due to misuse of devdravya) The preceptor states :- Listen!
In every Utsarpini - Avsarpini Käấl la period the timedimension ascending part & the descending part-respectively) in Bharatkshetra and Airãvat kshetra (an area) 63 shalākā purush (eminent personalities) get born. Those are as follows :- 24 Teerthanker (Gods), 12 Chakravarthy (Emperor of Kings), Vasudev = very mighty emperors, Baldev = mighty emperors and Prati-vasudev. Once in ancient days, Shree Ram being one of those 63 Shalākā purushs - was ruling his empire in a just and lawful manner. He had kind heartedly arranged for a bell-of-justice so that even poor persons get justice in a proper manner. Once a dog was sitting on the royal path, at that time some Brahmin's son hit him with a stone on his ear. The dog in blood-shedding condition reached in the court of justice and sat there. The King inquired about its' visit upon which the dog narrated the incident and said :- 'I am innocent, why I am attacked ?' The King got that Brahmins' son caught and produced before the dog and asked :'He is your offender, tell me what punishment I should give him?'
Upon this the dog said :- 'He should be employed as a poojári (one who looks after the temple / monástry etc. on salary basis.) in a Lord Shivas' temple / monăstry.' Upon the question of the King :- 'What kind of punishment is this?' the dog again said :-'0 King! Before my seven births, I was a worshipper of Lord Shivã-in a Shivă temple. I used to take my food only after well-washing my hands to avoid even the mistaken chance of input of the food/wealth of the dev (deity/Lord) in my body. At some point of time, some devotee of Lord Shivă offered purified butter (Ghee) to the Lord Shivã. The purified butter was thick, while cleaning29...