Jain Miniature Paintings from Western India c13.305

c13.305

It is related that Mahāvīra on his way from Morāka to Śvetāmbī met the terrible serpent, Caṇḍa-kauśika, in the hermitage of Kanakakhala. This serpent, in the former life, was a very temperamental Sādhu. Once it so happened that he inadvertently crushed a frog under his feet while walking. Reminded of this sin by his disciple he flew in temper and ran to attack him, but in doing so he dashed against a pillar and died. Then he was born as a god, and afterwards came to the earth under the name of Caṇḍakauśika, the head of five hundred hermits. He was a very temperamental man who lost his temper at the sight of the people plucking flowers and fruits from the hermitage garden. Once he ran after some princes while they were plucking fruits, fell in the well and died. He was later on born as a serpent and began to live in his former hermitage. Mahāvīra, after reaching his hermitage, engaged himself in meditation.