________________
Walk With Me
For a moment, Nandivardhan was silent, as if I had touched a deep wound within him. Visibly disturbed, his eyes became moist. Respected Gautam swami, with his educators unable to answer his questions, Vardhaman needed to leave the palace and search out truth elsewhere. Nevertheless, he did not leave the palace immediately because he knew that his parents would be hurt.
Vardhaman's early quest for answers revealed a great deal about his insight and determination. He knew as a young boy that there was much more to be learned, and that it was essential to understand these things. He was not in the slightest bit interested in the knowledge imparted to Kings - he wanted the truth of the universe - truth that could
be shared with all. Everyone around him knew that no school could
provide the answers to his keen questions.
After the death of my parents, Vardhaman intensified his sadhana. Though he was physically among us, mentally he remained lost in a different world. I did not want him to leave. We tried to dissuade him for two full years under the pretext that I needed his help. Vardhaman was determined but polite enough to never speak out against our attempts. He quietly and patiently waited for the next opportunity to pursue his dream. However, I notice that he was becoming more withdrawn from worldly life, and lost in his thoughts. He was physically among us but mentally in a different world.
Gurudev, how can anyone put limits on the limitless? Can anyone contain the sky? Parental family ties cannot bind the one for whom every living being in this universe is his family. Vardhaman had everything,
62
Jain Education Interational
For Private & Personal Use Only
www.jainelibrary.org