________________
254
method of penance, Indra spoke the following words in his assembly of gods;
All the gods were very much delighted to hear these observations of Indra. There was, however, one god named Sangama who did not like these words. He protested and said,
"At this moment, in the entire land of Bharata, there is no one more patient and firm in meditation than Mahavira. No power is capable to shake him from his standing posture of meditation. "
To establish that the Indra had made a wrong observation, he declared,
"There can be no one holding a human body who will not yield before divine power.
"
Adding strength to what he had observed earlier, Indra re-affirmed,
1.
"I can shake him; he will have to yield before my power.
"Neither has this happened, nor will this ever happen that a Tirthankara in meditation is shaken by any wound or by sharp words."
2.
To give effect to his ignoble design, he came down at once and arrived at the polasa caitya. To shake him during the same night, he caused him 20 very severe pains one after another. They were in the following order:
But Sangama protested again with equal vehemence,
"I must hold a .test of his firmness."
He produced a terrific dust storm as if the deluge was imminent. Mahavira's eyes, ears and nose
were all choked with dust.
He produced poisonous ants who gave severe bites all over Mahavira's body.
