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........MAHAVIRA'S WANDERING AS AN ASCETIC 103
The Lord went to Kaušāmbi. The Sun and Moon came there with their aerial cars and paid homage with devotion to the Lord Jina, who was standing in statuesque posture, accompanied by enquiries about a good vihāra.125 Gradually wandering, the Master went to the city Vārāṇasi and was worshipped by Sakra, who came there with a delighted heart. Then Indra Iśāna bowed with devotion together with enquiries about a good vihāra to the Lord, who had gone to Rājagpha and was standing in statuesque posture.
Then the Master went to the city Mithilā and was worshipped with a pūjā and friendly enquiries by King Janaka and Indra Dharana. Then in his wandering, the Lord went to the town Viśāli and there the eleventh rainy season from the day of his vow arrived. The Lord, observing a fast of four months, stood in statuesque posture in Baladeva's temple in the garden Samara in the town. The king of the Nāgas, Bhūtānanda, came there, paid homage to the Lord, announced that omniscience was near and went away. A very advanced layman, named Jinadatta, lived there, compassionate, known as Jirņaśreșthin (Ruined Sheth) because of his loss of fortune. At that time Jinadatta had gone to Baladeva's temple in that garden and he saw the Lord Jina standing in statuesque posture, Deciding, “ This ascetic is a (future) omniscient,” he paid homage to the Lord with extreme devotion and thought to himself: “ Today the Blessed One is fasting, observing the statuesque posture. It would be a fine thing if he would break fast in my house tomorrow.”
With this hope he served the Lord constantly for four months. On the final day he went to his own house, after inviting the Lord. He, magnanimous, thought about the best food, previously prepared for himself, free from life, suitable for acceptance. Jinadatta stood in his court-yard, his eyes fixed on the Jina's road, and thought: “ I shall certainly
125 339. This refers to a ritual greeting to sādhus in which the greeter enquires about various aspects of the sādhu's comfort on his vihär. The formula is given in the Pañcaprati, sūtra 4, p. 10.
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