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THE RECOVERY OF DRAUPADI
291 the villagers; and when the food arrived,283 he did not let the villagers go to eat. He had one furrow plowed in each field by force by the hungry, thirsty, tired oxen and plowmen. He acquired obstructive karma and after dying and wandering through existence, became this Dhandhaņa. Now his karma has matured.”
Hearing that, a desire for emancipation being produced, Dhandhaņa took a vow in the Master's presence: “I will not eat what has been obtained by another.” Enduring the trial of failure in begging, 284 Dhandhaņa passed some time, not eating what had been obtained by another. One day Vasudeva asked Neminātha present in his council, “Who among these great sages does what is difficult to do?” The Master said: “They all do what is difficult to do, but especially Dhandhaņa who has passed so long a time, enduring the trial of failure in begging." After bowing to the Lord, as Kļşņa was entering Dvārakā, he saw Sādhu Dhandhaņa going in search of alms. Getting down from his elephant, Krşņa bowed to him with great devotion. A sheth saw that and thought, “Who is this fortunate man to whom Krşņa bowed?” In his wandering Dhandhaņa came to this same sheth's house and he provided him with sweetmeats with much honor,
Dhandhaņa came, bowed to the Omniscient, and said: “ Is my obstructive karma destroyed that I have obtained alms?” The Master said: “Your destructive karma is not destroyed. This receiving of alms was from Hari. The sheth gave you alms because Hari paid homage to you.” Thinking, “ This is receiving from another,” he, devoid of love, et cetera, began to put the alms down on the bare ground. As he was engaged in firm meditation to the effect, “ Karma acquired in the past is very difficult for creatures to destroy, alas!” his omniscience arose. Then the sage Dhandhana, after circumambulating Nemi, sat down in the assembly of kevalins, and was worshipped by the gods.
283 256. It would be brought by the families of the workers. 284 260. Alābhaparişaha. See I, n. 55 and p. 448.
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