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CHAPTER FOUR
Its king was Satānika, inspiring fear in enemy armies. His queen Mțgāvati, daughter of King Cetaka, was a laywoman, always worshipping the Tīrthakrt's feet. The king's minister was named Sugupta and his wife, Nandā, was Mrgāvati's best friend because she was a laywoman. A very rich sheth, Dhanāvaha, lived there and he had a wife, Malā, an expert housewife. There the Master made a vow, difficult to be performed, difficult to be satisfied, on the first day of the dark half of the month Poşa. “If a princess, who has been reduced to slavery, her feet bound by iron chains, shaven, fasting, weeping from distress, one foot inside the thereshold, the other one outside,-all seeking alms being turned away from the house-shall offer me kulmāșa in the corner of a winnowing basket then only shall I break my fast even after a long time, not otherwise."
With this secret vow having been made, daily the Lord goes to houses, high and low, at the right time. As the Master does not take alms when they are offered because of the vow, the townsmen are distressed daily, blaming themselves. Thus the Master, no alms being accepted, enduring the twentytwo trials, passed four months like four watches.
One day the Master entered Sugupta's house for alms and was seen by Nandā from a distance. Saying, “ By good fortune the Arhat Mahāvīra has come to my house,” Nandā got up to meet him, filled with joy. She, well-informed, brought him food in accordance with rules, but the Master left without taking it, because of his vow. “Alas! I am unfortunate. My wish was not fulfilled," Nandā grieved aloud, being slowwitted. A slave-girl said to her grieving, “ Every day this devārya goes away without taking alms. It is not only today that he has gone." When she heard this, Nandā understood, “ There is some special vow that is the reason he does not take even food free from life. How can the Master's vow be known?”
With this thought Nandā stood, completely joyless, and Sugupta saw her. Sugupta said to her: “Why do you appear
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