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by the poor, like nectar by people afflicted by poison, like a drug by the sick, like a fortress by people attacked by strong enemies. Protect! Protect! O depository of compassion. Enough of fathers, brothers, nephews, and ther relatives, as well as strangers, the causes of wandering through existence. O protection of the world, I have resorted to you alone as refuge, O you who lead across the whirlpool of existence. Give me initiation. Favor me." After this speech, he took the vow together with four hundred ninety-nine other sons and seventy grandsons of Bharata. When he had seen the Lord's kevalafestival made by gods and asuras, Marici, the son of Bharata, took the vow. Permitted by King Bharata, Brahmi took the vow. The teaching of a guru is usually a veritable eye-witness for people whose karma is light. Sundari obtained Bahubali's permission to take the vow, but was restrained by Bharata, and became the first laywoman. Bharata adopted laymanship at the Master's feet. For the vow does not take place until karma which has pleasure as its fruit has been consumed. Some among animals, men, and gods took the vow then; others took laymen's vows, and others adopted right-belief. The royal ascetics, except Kaccha and Mahākaccha, came and joyfully took initiation at the Master's side. Sadhus, Pundarika, etc.; sadhvis with Brāhmī at their head; laymen, Bharata, etc.; and laywomen with Sundari at their head-this became the rule of the fourfold congregation at that time and continues even today-the best house of dharma.
Then the Lord of the World taught eighty-four wise ascetics-Rṣabhasena and others, who had the body-making karma of ganabhrts, the holy 'three steps,' origination (utpāda), perishing (vigama), and permanence (dhrauvya), the mother of all the scriptures. He taught the fourteen pūrvas,271 and then they gradually made the twelve
271 662. According to tradition, these belonged to the twelfth anga, which is lost.
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