Kurgadu
One day as Dharmaghosh suri was out collecting alms he came upon a house with a young infant and upon seeing this infant he immediately knew the child would be a important figure in the jain order. So he persuaded the mother to give the child to him so he could learn to be a monk. The mother was hesisitant at first but Dharmaghosh insisted but in the end gave the child to him. He later became to be known as Kurgadu and quickly learned the Jain Agamas. He developed a deep understanding of the effects of karma to one’s life. Because of this he attained a high level of equanimity with all beings. While he had mastered all the different aspects of monk-hood he could not overcome the ability to fast for even 1 day during paryushan parva. He would attempt to fast but then his stomach would begin to hurt and he could not stay hungry. He attributed his inabilities to his past karmas, praised the other monks who continued to fast, and offered every service he could to them. Once during paryushan on the day of Samvatsari all the monks were fasting while Kurgadu had the urge to eat. He felt sorry that on the day of Samvatsari he could not fast on such an auspicious day. Kurgadu went to Dharmaghosh and asked him to allow him to eat. Dharmaghosh tried to encourage to continue with his efforts to fast but Kurgadu humbly replied he wish he could but it was unbearable for him. Dharmaghosh saw his miserable state and allowed him to go for alms. Kurgadu returned and present the food to his guru and asked his permission to eat as required by the code monks follow. After obtaining his permission he went and offered the more senior monks food. The other monks began making negative comments and saying that he did not deserve to be a monk. The other monks scolded him for eating on such auspicious day when they had taken such long fasts. Kuragdu listened quietly and tolerated their remarks. They then all four spit in his food to further humiliate and disapprove of Kurgadu eating. He went in a corner and began eating. As he ate he started to think deeply about his karmas and how they served as a handicap. He realized the true nature of the soul and it’s differentiation of the varying states of body and mind. He realized the true manifestation of the soul and destroyed all the remaining karmas and attained keval-gyan. Once a person attains keval-gyan (omniscient knowledge) the heavenly gods come to pay homage to the new kevali. The other monks were wonderstruck on how it’s possible for him to obtain keval-gyan. They asked Dharmaghosh suri how it was possible. Dharmaghosh said that the primary goal of observing religious austerities is to help gain modesty and break perception obstructing karma. Kurgadu repented for his karmas and beared the consequences with equanimity to obtain right perception. Once right perception was obtained he attained keval-gyan. They went to Kurgadu muni and repented at his feet and asked for his forgiveness. He forgave them and they obtained keval-gyan there on the spot.