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Ch. 13: Mahashatak - The Family
compassion from you as they have been receiving from our Mahavir. Therefore, it is only appropriate that you learn about Mahashatak.
As you know, Sadhak Mahashatak from Rajgrihi is a great devotee of Bhagwan. He has memorized every word that Bhagwan ever said. He takes good care of his community and his family. He is a financial pillar of the community and generously helps the needy. People love and respect him, and he treats the community with equal respect. However, he has always been in sadhana for the last few years and does not say a word to anyone. About four years ago, he even handed over his business to his son so that he could devote more time to his sadhana.
Everything is going well for him except for his family life. He has very painful relationship with his wife Revati. She dose not like her husband being busy in sadhana and his devotion to Mahavir, nor does she care for his feelings and ideas. She is so crafty that she has even managed to grab the belongings of his other relatives. Revati's brothers and cousins now rule Mahashatak's household. Mahashatak follows the Sraman life of vegetarianism, but she likes veal steaks (meat of newborn calves). He has tried several times to talk her out of it, but each time he has met with ridicule and arrogance. In fact, ever since King Shrenik has declared a total ban on animal slaughter in Magadha, Revati manages to get her veal daily from the neighboring kingdom.
These days, Mahashatak keeps himself busy meditating all day at the Sraman Centre. He feels that in his old age he should devote all his time to sadhana, but Revati gets mad at his religious devotion. She goes to the centre, and insults him publicly. Mahashatak has tried several times,
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