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If a snake bites some one, poison spreads his body by and by, and a burning sensation develops in the whole body. Likewise, if the snake of hypocrisy bites somebody, the person soon begins to neglect all vows, self-restraint, penance and meditation. Thus, hypocrisy in no time destroys the blessings of good luck (Punya) earned by the good deeds of previous births.
Two saints named Gundhar and Vineydhar were staying in a garden. One of these saints Gundhar performed the penance of self-torture (aatpanadi yog). During the four months of his rainy season stay at one place Chaturmas' he used to remain standing, unmoved at one and the same spot in a posture of bodily torture. Once, when the prescribed period of four months stay 'Chaturmas' was over, the Gods worshipped him. The whole sky resounded with the slogan 'Victory! Victory to thee'. The smell of flowers showered by the Gods made the whole surrounding atmosphere fragrant. This news spread in the whole city like forest fire. Next morning the city people set out to visit and pay homage to the saint. But by the time the city dwellers reached the garden, the saint had left the place on the completion of his Chaturmas; and saint Vineydhar had come there instead and settled there.
The city people mistook him for the saint Gundhar who had performed his four months rainy season stay (varshanuyog) there. Worshipping him with great devotion and respect, and singing hymns and saying prayers they began to adore him, "O Holy Saint! Even long accumulated sins are washed away in on time by seeing a detached saint like you." It has been said:
Darshanain jinendranram, saddhunam vandnen cha Na chire tishthatay papam, chidrhaste yathodkam
I.e., On seeing the holy saints and sacred images of Lord Jinendra, the sins accumulated since times immemorial are destroyed in the twinkling of an eye, just as water held between two joined palms with a gap is wasted in no time.
Saint Vineydhar thought that if he disclosed the truth to the people, they would not worship him. Thinking so, concealing the deceitful feeling in his mind, he sat motionless with closed eyes in a posture of deep meditation. Having worshipped him, the city people left for home. Holy Vineydhar's mind was polluted a bit by deceitfulness. Therefore, after death he was reborn as a semi God (Deva). Again, on the completion of his life period as semi God, he was born as an elephant named Triloke Mandan. One day Ram was frolicking in water in the company of Sita. In the meantime the elephant named Triloke Mandan, uprooting a pillar, reached the city near the same tank where these people were frolicking in water, and as soon as he saw them he had recollection of his previous birth (Jati smaran). Now he began to repent on his deceitful conduct in the previous life.
"Ah! Bharat and I had performed penance together at the same time. But on account of my deceitful conduct to entertain people's worship and homage, I am born as an
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