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Wandering Mahavir one day arrived near a small forlorn village on the banks of river Vegvati. Outside the village on a small hillock stood a temple surrounded by scattered heaps of bones and skeletons. Considering it to be an appropriate place for his practices, Mahavir sought permission from the villagers. The villagers informed him that this forlorn village was once a prosperous town. The ferocious lance wielding demon, Shulpani Yaksha, who dances and laughs on heaps of bones, had turned this Vardhaman village into Asthik-gram, the village of bones. The temple under questions was his temple and he did not allow any one to stay there. If at all someone stayed he did not come out alive. The villagers tried to dissuade Mahavir from staying in the temple.
But Mahavir was determined to root out fear and sow the seeds of courage. He insisted, and by evening he was standing at a spot within the temple, completely lost in his meditation. When darkness descended, the air was filled with eerie sounds. Shulpani, the Demon with a lance, appeared in the courtyard and started emitting fearful trumpeting noise. He was surprised to see a human being standing fearlessly in meditation. He produced thunderous roar that shook the thick walls of the temple. But the ascetic still did not move, nor did he show horrifying atrocities. A mad elephant appeared and goaded Mahavir with its pointed tasks. It lifted him in his trunk and tossed around. When this had no effect on Mahavir, a horrible ghost appeared and attacked Mahavir with its large canines and claws. Next appeared a black serpent that attacked Mahavir with its large venomous fangs and toxic breath. Finally he caused extreme pain in seven delicate spots within Mahavir’s body (eyes, ears, nose, head, teeth, nails, and the back). Mahavir had an endless capacity to tolerate pain. Even this extreme agony failed to pierce the serenity of his composure.
Drained of all his demonic energy, Shulpani became apprehensive. He thought that he was facing some divine power much stronger then he and he was heading towards his own destruction. All of a sudden a divine spiritual light heading towards his own destruction. All of a sudden a divine spiritual light illuminated his inner self. Slowly his anger subsided, fear dissolved, and a feeling of goodwill took over. He touched Mahavir’s feet. Mahavir opened his eyes and, raising his humility begged Mahavir’s pardon. Mahavir opened his eyes and , raising his hand, said, “Shulpani ! Anger supplements anger and love begets love. If you do not cause fear, you will become free of all fears always. So destroy the poison ivy of anger.”
Mahavir spent his first monsoon-stay at Asathik-gram.
