Page 137 - Courage Redifined

ii) Whenever, the thought process gets diverted, one should
stay strong and think about ways to get rid of these
impurities.

iii) The mind should always be engaged in the thoughts of
Arihanta Lords, their lives and teachings and the lives of
other great men.

iv) Take their inspiration to understand that trials are made
to overcome these faults.

Saint Shasak-Bhasak’s sister condemned her beauty which
attracted the young men and drove them to the wrong way.
This created a barrier in her brother-saints penance and studies.

The pride over one’s beauty and the intention of attracting
innocent people towards it is an inner impurity. On the other
hand, considering this beauty to be a trap for innocent people
and hence condemning it, is the soul’s purity.

The pure hearted sadhvi not only condemned her beauty but
to avoid the dreadful consequences, she decided to destroy
her beauty and hence accepted Anshan. As days passed, she
become pale and dry and one day she became unconscious
and couldn’t move. People assumed her to be dead and as a
result, her brother-saints themselves picked her up and threw
her body in the jungle. How great were the sadhvi’s efforts
to avoid her heart from getting impure!
Efforts to stop the heart from becoming impure are visible
in Lord Mahavira’s life too. Snake Chandkaushika bit Lord’s
leg but the great Lord did not harbour even a little anger
or hatred towards him. Indrabhooti Brahmin had come to
challenge Lord and debate with him, but Lord remained calm
and eventually Indrabhooti Brahmin became Lord’s disciple.
Even when Avadhigyani Lord Mahavira was a child and

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