________________
326
THE WAY OF LIFE
into the gutter of Samsar the five great vows which cannot be bought even with crores of rupees. I am deeply grieved over this. You have become infatuated with my beauty. For my sake, you went to Nepal in the rainy season. In order to secure me, you brought that embroidered shawl and now discarding your sacred saintly life, you are eager to attain the despicable and low, sensual pleasures of the mundane world. Think a little. Think seriously about this. I knew that you came here to imitate and excel Sthulabhadra".
The muni of the lion's cave! It is easy to live at the entrance of a lion's cave for four months but it is impossible to remain unprovoked, by the beauty of a youthful damsel. This is extremely difficult. Only a man of Sthulabhadra's abilities can achieve such a difficult thing. You tried to follow him and to emulate him wrongly and after coming to me, you became a thrall of passion. You could not tolerate the praise bestowed upon Sthulabhadra. You began to burn with jealousy and pursued the wrong path".
The muni was stupefied on hearing her words. His raging passion ebbed out. He recovered his spiritual awareness. Kosha told the muni politely and courteously and with decency whatever was to be said to him. She said with a firm voice, “Oh holy man! Shri Sthulabhadraji made me undertake the vows of a Shravika. You came here thinking that I was but a dancer. That is your mistake. During those four months, I danced before Sthulabhadraji; I sang and I gave him delicious food every day, yet his spiritual integrity remained unshaken; he never deviated from the path of dharma. I accepted defeat at his hands. And I found him a tremendous victor over passions.
You too are a great muni. You too have performed many arduous austerities in your life, and you are ascending the steps of your spiritual endeavours and attainments. The sensual pleasures of the mundane world are more dangerous than the poison of a king Cobra. Outwardly, those pleasures seem to be fascinating but at once they destroy our spiritual excellence. I beseech you with folded hands to remain firm and disciplined in your attempt to attain moksha and never to give up your objective of attaining moksha.
Jain Education International
For Private & Personal Use Only
www.jainelibrary.org
