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PREVIOUS BIRTHS OF PARSVANĀTHA
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king, Indra, Ahamindra, et cetera and such things. How can others, themselves engaged in injurious acts, facing a bad state of existence, causing delusion in everyone, become gods, sir?"
Enlightened by him with this and other speeches, the caravan-leader abandoned wrong belief quickly and in his presence undertook to be a layman. Rşi Aravinda told him religious stories daily; and gradually he reached the forest inhabited by Marubhūti. At meal-time the caravan-leader with the caravan camped on the bank or a pool there, an Ocean of Milk of water. Some went for wood; some for water; some for grass; some remained in the caravan, engaged in cooking food, et cetera.
At that time the elephant Marubhūti, surrounded by female elephants, came there and drank water from the pool, like a cloud from the ocean. After making for a long time the (sport of) tossing up his trunk filled with water with the cowelephants, he left (the pool) and climbed up the edge. Looking around in all directions, he saw the caravan encamped there and he ran forward, his face and eyes red from anger, like Krtanta. His trunk made into a circle, both ears motionless, the heavens filled with his trumpetings, he scattered the members of the caravan. Men, women, draft-animals, elephants, et cetera fled in all directions to save their lives. Everyone wishes to live.
Knowing by clairvoyance that the time for the elephant's enlightenment was near, the Blessed Aravinda held the kayotsarga-posture, motionless. After running from a distance from anger, seeing him, he went near, his anger appeased from the power of the Sri of his (Aravinda's) penance. At once, his body motionless from the desire for emancipation and compassion that had arisen, he stood before the muni, like a new disciple. The muni finished his kayotsarga for his benefit and began to enlighten him in a voice deep from tranquillity.
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Sir! Sir! Do you not remember your own birth as
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