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dear to his mother and like life to his brother. Moon to the night-blooming lotuses of their eyes, he gradually attained youth. At his father's command Gajasukumāla married King Druma's daughter, Prabhāvati. At the insistence of his mother and brother he, though unwilling, married Soma, the daughter of a Brahman, Somaśarman, born of a kṣatriyā.
Just then Nemi stopped in a samavasarana and Gajasukumala with his wives listened attentively to dharma. Their disgust with existence arose and, after obtaining his parents' consent, Gaja together with his wives took the vow under the Master. When Gaja had become a mendicant, unable to endure separation from him, his parents and brothers, Kṛṣṇa and others, wept aloud.
In the evening, after asking the Master for permission, he performed the penance of statuesque posture in a cemetery and was seen by the Brahman Somaśarman who had gone outside. Somaśarman thought, This man, evil-minded, has married my daughter for ridicule, wishing to practice heresy." Angry at this thought, Somaśarman, malevolent, stood the neck of a water-jar, filled with blazing coals from a funeralpyre, on his head. Though burned severely by it, absorbed in meditation, he endured it. The fuel of karma being consumed, omniscience having arisen, he went to emancipation.
At dawn, Kṛṣṇa went in his chariot with attendants to see Gajasukumāla, his mind full of longing. Going outside Dvārakā, he saw an old Brahman carrying a brick on his head to the temple. From compassion for him, Kṛṣṇa himself took a brick from the kiln to this temple and the people took (bricks) by the crore. After finishing the Brahman's business, Janardana went to Nemi. He did not see Gaja there, like a deposit left by himself.
Hari asked the Master, Where is my brother Gaja? and the Blessed One told Gaja's emancipation by the Brahman Soma. Then Govinda fainted and, consciousness regained, asked the Lord again, How can I recognize my brother's murderer?" The Blessed One said: "Do not be angry at
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