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Now
listen to another bizarre method, where the defaulter is put to untold
suffering both financially, mentally, in addition to becoming unpopular in the
society, without which he can not live and thrive in this world. May be, he can
take his abode in the icy mountains, where man treads not. Of course,
he may seek solace in the company of green verdure and thick foliage of trees.
But certainly not among the quadrupeds even. For it is mentioned in certain
mythologies that the four legged - animals too resent seeing the sinner of any
brand. They turn their faces aside, if chance brings them face to face with the
frauds. The well known episode of a stag refusing even to look at a king whose
record of life was anything but honest is narrated in the sthala purana of
Alampur. One more kshetra deserves elaborate account in this connection. The
erstwhile Jain temple at Dharmasthala presided over by Sri Manjunathaswamy now,
was once acting as the highest civil court adjudging the disputes relating to
money matters-non payment of debts and deliberate evasion by ill-bred, wicked,
dishonest debtors. The verdicts of the temple were divine and all - abiding. The
complainant and the defendant took the word of the founder-builder Heggade of
the temple as final. He is and was hailed as the virtual God - head of that holy
Kshetra and his word was infallible and impartial. This court without appellant
jurisdiction disposed of countless civil cases and brought undying fame to the
temple. On account of this, the original name of the holy temple was changed
from Kuduma to Dharmasthala. Government not only effected this change, but
extended all assistance on application.
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