Once upon a time there lived a strong and young elephant named Meruprabh in a huge forest. One day a part of a huge forest caught fire and the fire was spreading rapidly as it was been fanned by strong winds. The animals were getting scared. Each and every animal were thinking “When would the fire stop”? Meruprabh along with 700 other elephants cleared one part of the forest of vegetation to prevent the fire from spreading. The clearing became a haven for animals seeking shelter from the fire and they huddled there till the fire went out. Animal who normally hunted each other now sat close in amity. Fear was palpable due to the fire.
Soon this clearing was so full that there was no space for even a grain of sesame. Packed it was, in booth space and tension. At that time as Meruprabh also stood, he felt his knee itch. He had to scratch himself. He lifted the other leg and scratched himself. What a relief. What a relief it was! Scratching, he reflected, was one of the pleasures of life.
But no sooner had he afforded himself a little pleasure he looked down to find a little rabbit scurrying into the space that had been cleared when he lifted his leg. Breathing heavily the rabbit snuggled into the space. What happens to Meruprabh’s leg? As he held it above the ground, he realized that if he put it down, he would crush the rabbit. Could he nudge the rabbit to a side? Oh no !!! there was simply no space. Meruprabh folded his leg and decided to hold it there, even if still hurts the hapless frightened creature – the rabbit.
The first day and night of fire passed, the forest was still raging into fire. The animals did not move from there place where they sat. Not even Meruprabh. He kept standing with his one leg folded.
Even, the second and third day too passed. Finally the flames subsided and the animals venturing out cautiously in the beginning ran out to see if it were safe to return to their homes. However only Meruprabha continued to stand. His leg had become stiff and he could not put it losing his balance, he tumbled over. He lay there like that for a long time, till he quietly succumbed to it.
“No being is to be harmed for all beings desire to live and no one wishes to die”- Mahaviraswami, who was also known as Vardhamana was the 24th Tirthankara of Jainism. He was the spiritual successor of 23rd Tirthankara Parshvanatha, taught his followers.
This was for Meruprabh exemplary act of compassion. He earned the privilege of taking birth in takings house of a king in his next birth, he then became a King when he grew and in that very same birth, he eventually became a monk. This story is related to prince Megha. When he ordained as a monk with permission from his parents and enters the ashram. He spends a very uncomfortable night. The floor was hard for the prince to sleep, as he was, accustomed of sleeping on velvet beds. It is even cold too. Moreover, all the senior monks were awake even in the late hours of the night. They gave him room in a corridor and so he get disturbed when they passed by. The night seemed endless and finally at daybreak the newly initiated monk went to his teacher. He stood there, speechless. He wanted to leave. He wanted to go home.
As the minutes ticked by, the teacher, watching his discomfort, said, “Go child and get back to work. Do not give up so easily. This discomfort is nothing as compared to what you faced in your last birth when you were not even a human being. You gave up your life in compassion, today you are anxious about the mere pain? As you have exhibited such extraordinary compassion you were able to be born as a prince and even attained monks hood. Now enjoy the fruits of your good deeds”. The newly initiated monk, gained new insight and realized the gift of his birth, then gradually he became one of the most sincere disciples of the sangha (association).
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