________________
Shri Mahavir Jain Aradhana Kendra
www.kobatirth.org
Acharya Shri Kailassagarsur Gyanmandir
the furnace so Mahavira proved his spiritual purity and strength by passing through these ordeals.
At last, one day, the exhausted and defeated Sangama fell at the feet of Mahavira and said to him in humble tone, "O Venerable One, I am Sangama. I did not recognise you. You are the most venerable, not only to men but even to gods. Your self-restraint and self-victory are amazing. What a unique sense of forgiveness you have ! What a wonderful power of endurance you have !"
Though Mahavira had been tortured for the last six months he was not perturbed in the least. He lifted his hand to bless Sangama. His merciful heart felt, "Oh, what will happen to this miserable creature ?" When he opened his lotus eyes there were two drops of tears in the corner of his eyelids. On seeing them, Sangama was overjoyed and danced merrily. He said, "Oh, the merciful Lord's eyes, wet with compassion, will surely save a sinner like me."
Wonderful Donation
Mahavira came to the city cf Kaushambi. He was begging alms from house to house. The locals requested him to accept food from their houses but he did not take take any food from anyone. Usually, he would accept cooked food once a fortnight, or cnce in a month. Sometimes he would not collect alms for upto four months. But whenever he did beg for food, he accepted whatever proper food he obtained from any house.
But once a rare and unique situation arose. Everyday Mahavira would set out to beg for food and he would wander from house to house but retrun to his meditation spot empty-handed. So the people of Kaushambi became very worried. They could not sleep and they constantly asked themselves why he was not accepting food in alms. How could it be that fish remained thirsty in a lake full of water ? Mahavira visited all the houses in Kaushambi - from luxurious palaces to poor huts. Everyone rushed to offer food to Mahavira but he accepted nothing from anyone.
The people wondered as to what type of food he wanted. Nanda, the wife of the Minister Sugupta and a great female devotee of Tirthankara Mahavira, became very sad when Mahavira turned back without accepting any food from her. She said to her husband, "What sort of a minister are you? Mahavira has not eaten a grain of food in the last four months. Why
99
For Private And Personal Use Only
