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MAHAVIRA'S FIRST SIX YEARS AS AN ASCETIC 75 their fathers had gone away, he scared the boys again. Even when life is in danger, it is difficult for men to give up their nature. Their fathers, angry, came and said to each other: “We have beaten this wretch, this abuser of boys, enough. His master, who does not restrain him, should be beaten. Punishment of the master for the crime of servants is the custom." Leaving Gośāla in his crime like a house-dog, with malicious intent they ran at Sri Vīra with raised sticks. Sirin's (Balarāma's) statue, presided over by a Vyantara, who was present, devoted to the Arhat, angrily stood up with his plough raised to threaten them, like Sirin in person. Filled with terror and astonishment, the villagers fell at the Master's lotus-feet and begged forgiveness, blaming themselves.
Then the Master went to the hamlet Corāka and stood in statuesque posture in a secluded place in it. Gośāla said to the Lord, “Are we going for alms or not ?” Siddhārtha replied, “We are fasting today.” Gośāla was hungry and entered the village, eager for alms, and saw food for a party being cooked just then. With the idea that it was not yet the time for alms, Gośāla watched, hidden. At that time there was a great fear of thieves in that village. The villagers surmised, “ This man is a thief or a spy for thieves, since he watches from hiding,” and they beat the miserable Gośāla. Poor Gośāla cursed, “ If my teacher in religion has any psychic force from penance, may their pavilion burn down very soon." The pavilion was burned by Vyantaras devoted to the Blessed One and the Lord of the World went to the hamlet Kalambuka.
Two brothers were there, lords of a mountain, Megha and Kālahastin. At that time Kālahastin was pursuing thieves with soldiers. He saw the Lord traveling with Gośāla and was frightened at the thought, “They are thieves.” Such is the intelligence of such men. “Who are you?” he asked. The Master said nothing, because he had a vow of silence; and Gośāla remained silent, also, from love of strife, like a monkey. Kālahastin bound Gośāla and the Master and turned them over to his brother. Megha was a servant of Siddhārtha and had
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