Tirthankar Mahavir

Author(s): Kumarpal Desai
Publisher: Jaybhikkhu Sahitya Trust

Page 85

Acchandaka's trick was such that if Mahavira answered yes then be would not stretch the blade to the required extent to break it and if he answered no then he would easily make two pieces by stretching it. Mahavira calmly said. "O Acchandaka, it will not be possible for you to make it into two pieces by stretching it with your hands."
Acchandaka was very happy to hear Mahavira's words. He jumped and declared, "Look brothers, this is the proof of his being an imposter. He is not a true yogi or ascetic. He says that I cannot make two pieces of this blade of grass by stretching it with my hands. Now I am exposing his hypocrisy by making two pieces of this blade." Uttering these words, he held the blade in his hand, showed it to the people and tried to stretch it in order to make two pieces. But his fingers were cut with the sharp edge of the blade and blood gushed out. The people laughed at him. And Mahavira narrated to them the stories of Acchandaka's deceitful activities.
The people gained more faith in Mahavira's words. They talked of Mahavira's victory over Acchandaka. They despised Acchandaka and said, "O Acchandaka, we did not know that you are such a great hypocrite. You are a cheat. You are a degraded soul. You have deceived us."
Finally, the frightened Acchandaka approached Mahavira and humbly said, "O great yogi, my means of livelihood has been destroyed because of your presence here. My reputation is in tatters. I request you to go elsewhere."
Mahavira said, "O friend, I bear no ill-will against you. I only wish for your welfare. I advise you to earn your livelihood honestly. Do not deceive the innocent and simple people. And abstain from indulging in wrong activities. May you be happy ! I shall now leave this village."
Mahavira awakened the simple people, who had blind faith in miracles, to the truth. He then continued his journey.
Mahavira, the ocean of compassion
Lord Mahavira left Moraka. He headed towards Svetambi city. He was going from Dakshina Vachala to Uttara Vachala. There were two roads to Uttaravachala. One way passed through the land of the Kanakakhala hermitage, where the tapasa ascetics lived. However, people had not this road for the past few years. This was because a cobra na Chandakaushika (whose eyes emitted poisonous rays) moved arou