„梂 縈Ｏ３ 蔣潮 J - Jainism, Jain Religion - colleges

From the bank of Rijubaluka river Mahavir came to Madhyam Pava. A divine pavilion was created in the Mahasen jungle.
During that month of Vaishakh Som Sharma had organized a great Yajna. Eleven famous and great scholars with their 4400
disciplines had come to participate in this Yajna. Thousands of people from far and near were arriving to behold the pious
flames of the Yajna. Thus, Madhyam Pava had become a place of pilgrimage.
On hearing of the sudden arrival of Bhagavan Mahavir, Pandit Som Sharma became worried and disturbed due to the anti
Yajna attitude of the Shraman culture. He went to the chief guide of the Yajna, Mahapandit Indrabhuti. They all confabulated
but were short of ideas. Indrabhuti finally said, “Shraman Vardhaman is certainly a person to reckon with. He has the power
of spiritual practice and fire of penance but still in knowledge he will prove to be no match for us. With our unmatched power
of knowledge we should be able to defeat him now and subjugate a rising adversary in time. We need not worry. It is probable
that this pious day may turn out to be the day of our ultimate victory”.
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This hope filled assurance from Mahapandit Indrabhuti made all the other scholars happy. Som Sharma starting dreaming of
the victory of the Brahman Yajna organization. Indrabhuti with his 500 disciples proceeded to confront Mahavir.
Indrabhuti and the Self
Indrabhuti’s mind got a shock the moment he put his first step inside the divine pavilion. His mind got agitated. From the
distance he saw the astonishing glow on the face of Shraman Mahavir. When the powerful sunrays fall on the Himalayan ice
starts melting. Similarly Indrabhuti’s ego started melting. He felt as it streams of doubt and uncertainty had started emerging
and flowing.
“Indrabhuti Gautam! You have arrived”?
The deep resonant voice of Prabhu Mahavir fell on Indrabhuti’s ears the moment he entered the third gate of the assembly.
“Mahavir recognizes me!” Indrabhuti was astonished; he thought, “Of course, he must have heard of me, the world famous
scholar”. (M-28/1)
“Indrabhuti Gautam, although you are a great scholar of Vedas, you are still doubtful of the existence of soul”. When these
words in the imposing voice of Mahavir echoed in the ears of Indrabhuti he was stunned.
Prabhu sweetly uttered in friendly tone, “Indrabhuti Gautam, your doubt about the soul is based on you knowledge of the
Vedas. But the same Vedas contain undeniable proofs of independent existence of the soul. Have you ever thought what is
a soul? Who is it? And who is it that has this doubt about soul? Knowledge and the awareness of knowledge are same-not
different. Soul it is, that is filled with knowledge (it is exuberance of knowledge), and this knowledge is the cognizing factor of
soul. Soul is an entity that is formless and beyond the sensory realm, it can be perceived not through the sense organs but
through direct intuitive experience....”
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Listening to the Vedic aphorisms and irrefutable logic of Mahavir about the existence of soul, Indrabhuti’s doubts were
removed. His ego melted. With the rising of humility the divine ray of truth became visible. The darkness within Gautam was
dispelled. With overflowing respect and curiosity Gautam fell at the feet of Prabhu Mahavir.
“Prabhu, I came with a desire to be victorious, but now I am only a seeker of knowledge. Please bestow on me the infinite
knowledge of truth. I wish to become a disciple and sit at you divine feet”. (M-28/2)
“You are welcome, O beloved of gods!” Mahavir uttered equanimously. Indrabhuti Gautam became the first disciple of
Bhagavan Mahavir. Mahavir also initiated his five hundred disciples into the order. The sky reverberated with sounds of
hailing.
The news of initiation of Gautam brought shadows of gloom over the Yajna site where the scholars were waiting. But the
second great scholar, Agnibhuti, summoned courage and said, “I will go and bring back my brother by defeating Mahavir”.
Agnibhuti also arrived at the religious assembly with his five hundred disciples. As soon as he entered the pavilion and
approached Mahavir, Mahavir said, “Agnibhuti, your senior has his cobwebs of doubt cleared, he has now become unambiguous.
Now you should also remove your quandary about the fruits of Karma. As the existence of soul is self evident, it is also
established that it is soul that is the doer of the Karma (action) and the sufferer of its consequences (fruit)”.
The moment his doubt was removed the shackles of dogmas shattered. With the vanishing of ego a stream of faith started
flowing within Agnibhuti. He also submitted before the omniscience of Shraman Mahavir. Agnibhuti became a disciple of
Shraman Bhagavan Mahavir alongwith his 500 disciples.
The youngest brother of Indrabhuti, Vayubhuti, also decided to try his luck with his 500 disciples. As a thirsty person stops at
a source of clean water, Vayubhuti stayed with Mahavir and alongwith his 500 disciples joined Mahavir’s order.
Amar Muni - Tirthankar Charitra - Surana # 44
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