During his early years of wandering, Bhagwan Mahavir came to a village in the evening and stood silently at the edge of a meadow. A cowherd, in a hurry to reach home, saw the still figure of the muni and asked him to watch his cows for a few moments. Mahavir, deep in meditation, neither agreed nor refused — he simply stood as he was. When the cowherd returned, his cows had wandered into the forest. Furious, he abused the muni and accused him of carelessness. Mahavir did not defend himself; nor did he reach out for the cows. The cowherd's anger grew until he reached for sharp wooden pegs and tried to drive them into the muni's ears. It is said that Indra himself watched from above, ready to intervene. Mahavir refused. He bore the pain without a sound, knowing that he too had karmas to exhaust. Hours later, a wandering physician named Kharak recognised the saint. He gently removed the pegs and bandaged the wounds. Mahavir blessed both the cowherd and the physician with the same calm look — neither one had been able to disturb his inner stillness.