Kanma Khila Thokya

Here's a comprehensive summary of the provided Jain text from "Kanma Khila Thokya" (Nailing Spikes into the Ears), focusing on the events described:

This passage, from the "Kanma Khila Thokya" chapter, details a severe form of upasarga (affliction or ordeal) that Lord Mahavir faced during the thirteenth year of his spiritual practice. After successfully completing twelve years of meditation and penance, embodying truth, non-violence, forgiveness, compassion, fearlessness, yoga, and true knowledge, Lord Mahavir encountered a new and painful trial.

While meditating near the village of Chhamani, a cowherd left his cattle under Mahavir's watch and went into the village for work. Lord Mahavir, engrossed in deep meditation, remained unaware of his surroundings. When the cowherd returned later, he discovered his cattle had wandered off. Frustrated and unable to find them, he approached Mahavir and asked about their whereabouts. Mahavir, in his meditative state, did not respond.

The cowherd, growing increasingly agitated, questioned Mahavir again, but still received no reply. In his anger, he accused Mahavir of being a hypocrite and either deaf or intentionally ignoring him. He then exclaimed that Mahavir's ears seemed useless and that he would "take care of them." In his rage, the cowherd took sharp blades of grass, which were nearby, and forcefully hammered them deep into Lord Mahavir's ears with a stone. To ensure the spikes couldn't be removed, he cut off the protruding parts. Despite this intensely painful ordeal, Mahavir remained in his meditative state, experiencing neither physical pain nor breaking his concentration.

After completing his meditation, Lord Mahavir proceeded to the village for his alms (gochari). He went to the house of a merchant named Siddhartha, where his physician friend was also present. As the merchant offered alms, the physician observed Mahavir's face, noting a divine radiance but also a shadow of sorrow in his eyes, suggesting he was suffering from some internal pain. Siddhartha, upon hearing this, resolved to help the great ascetic if he was indeed in pain.

Meanwhile, Mahavir, calmly enduring the extreme pain of the spikes in his ears, continued with his alms. The physician and Siddhartha followed him to his resting place. Upon examination, they discovered the sharp grass blades embedded in his ears. They promptly arranged for necessary medicines and instruments for treatment. To facilitate the removal of the spikes and alleviate the pain, they had Lord Mahavir sit in a pot filled with oil, massaged his entire body with oil, and then carefully pulled out the grass blades. The immense pain caused Mahavir to cry out. The physician applied medicine to the wounds, and Lord Mahavir immediately entered a deep, calm, and stable state of meditation.

The passage concludes by highlighting that in every challenging event, Lord Mahavir's mind and soul triumphed over physical suffering and hardship. His meditation and penance purified his soul, enabling him to detach himself from fleeting material possessions and focus his attention on the liberation of his eternal soul.