Page 16 - Courage Redifined

Why did Marichi* get trapped in comforts in each birth ?

The religion and charity exercised as a result of sensual
temptation actually strengthens these temptations and not
religion. This addiction for comforts and sensual pleasures
is bound to trouble you in each birth. Why so ? Because
in this birth also you do not wish to strengthen religion by
performing religious activities but want to strengthen your
sensual pleasures from it. Then how will you be able to
acquire and increase religion in the forthcoming births ?

Marichi enabled Prince Kapil to forsake the material world.
This was religion but his real intention and desire was to attain
a disciple who would serve him. This is greed for sensual
pleasures. To strengthen this greed, he was compelled to do
1
Utsootra Bhashana . What was it's result in the next birth?
Increase in the desire for sensual pleasures and becoming
2
a Tridandik repeatedly. It is said in Lord Mahavir's stavan
which deseribe His 27 births,
"Panchme bhave Kollaka Sannivesh,
Vishayasakt Brahmin Vesh"
(In the Kollaka town, in his fifth birth, he was a Brahmin
who was attached to sensual pleasures.)

* Marichi – Marichi was Lord Adinath’s grandson who had accepted
Diksha. As time passed he could not bear the difficulties
involved in the ascetic life and hence took some freedom
and became a hermit. Inspite of these, he told all the people
coming to him for Diksha to go to Lord Adinath and accept
the difficult but right path. But once he became greedy for
a disciple and told prince Kapil that his path was also right.
1. Utsootra Bhashana – Speaking against the principles of Jainism

2. Tridandikpanu – Becoming A hermit who wear orange clothes, have
a bath, wear footwear and do religion according to
their convenience.

6 Courage Redefined