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CHAPTER IV
THE SECOND PERIOD OF MORE THAN SIX YEARS OF MAHĀVĪRA'S WANDERING AS AN ASCETIC
Misconduct of Gośāla (1-51)
Then the Master, attended by Gośāla, wandered in the country Magadha for eight months without attack. Vira Svāmin went to the city Ālabhikā and passed the seventh rainy season, observing a fast of four months. At the end of four months the Lord broke his fast outside and went to the hamlet Kundaka, accompanied by Gośāla. There the Master stood in statuesque posture, like a jeweled statue that had been installed, in a corner of Vāsudeva's temple. Shameless by nature and suffering from long restraint Gośāla stood with his linga in the mouth of Vişnu's statue.
A worshipper came and, when he saw him standing so, thought, “Is he some piśāca or some one possessed by a demon?” So reflecting, he entered the temple and observed him and recognized from his nudity that he was probably some ascetic. “If I beat him, then the people will say, “A harmless religious was beaten by this wicked man.' Let the village do to him what is suitable. I shall tell them.” With this idea he went and brought the villagers to see him. He (Gośāla) was struck by the young villagers with slaps and blows with their fists and was released by the elders saying, “ Enough of beating a man possessed by a demon.”
The Master, destroying the enemy karma, went to the hamlet Mardana and stood in statuesque posture in Baladeva's temple. Gośāla put his linga in Bala's mouth and stood as before. As before he was beaten and as before he was released.
The Teacher of the World, distinguished for his penance, went to the village Bahuśāla and stood in statuesque posture in a garden, Śālavana, in it. There a Vyantari, named śālāyā, 11M
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