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28
JAINA STORIES
The yogi-"Since you are so arrogant and unreasonable, go to the yonder cottage and have a look at it and come back at once."
Mriga went to the cottage and was soon inside With a swift hand, she tore one of its fingers At once, one of the yogi's fingers fell on the ground. She pulled out one of the eyes, and the yogi became blind of one eye. She took out one ear and the yogi lost his own. Already the vogi had startad shouting and abusing her, but she took no notice of that She now separated the limbs one by one with a swift hand, and then placed the trunk under a huge stone The yogi himself was caught in the same manner
Karma, who had been witnessing all this from a distance, was astonished at the courage and ready-wit of her friend Now she came near, profusely thanked her and praised her, and said, “What poison would never have achieved, you have done with jaggery”
Mriga now came out of the cottage and sternly asked the man ( former parrot ),
"Do you want to be changed into a parrot or remain a human being ?
The man who was badly shaken said,
"It is by your grace that I have been liberated from this animal form Now, I would like to live as a human being. Have pity on me and rescue my wife too She is in the yonder cave, also imprisoned The yogi caused her enough trouble. But she is so devoted that she deviated not from the path of chastity"
Mriga, followed by Karma and the man, came to the cave The lady was taken out and consoled with the information that the vogi was no more Mriga dow asked the man to narrate his story in detail, which he did as follows
