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## The Story of the Thief, Mooladeva and Mandlika
**The Yoga Shastra, Second Light, verses 70 to 72, explain this.**
**Verse 70:**
**Meaning:** Just as a man cannot experience peace when a sharp thorn or arrow pierces him, so too, a thief cannot find peace day or night, whether awake or asleep. The thief is not only deprived of peace, but his family and friends also abandon him.
**Verse 71:**
**Meaning:** Just as no one associates with a Mlechchha (outcaste) even for a moment, so too, a thief's friends, children, wife, brothers, parents, etc., do not associate with him even for a moment.
**Explanation:**
The scriptures of ethics state that associating with those who commit the five great sins - Brahmahatya (killing a Brahmin), drinking alcohol, stealing, sexual intercourse with a Guru's wife, and betrayal - is also considered a great sin. A thief, one who instigates theft, one who advises theft, one who knows the secrets of the theft, one who buys stolen goods, one who facilitates the purchase of stolen goods, one who provides shelter to the thief, and one who feeds the thief - all eight are considered criminals in the eyes of the law.
**Verse 72:**
**Meaning:** Even if a thief is a relative, the king will capture him like the Mandlika thief. But if a thief abandons theft, he will become eligible for heavenly bliss like Rohiney.
**Explanation:**
**Mooladeva and the Mandlika Thief:**
In the Gauda country, there was a city called Pataliputra. Its central part was invisible, like the water of the ocean. The prince of that city, Mooladeva, was a source of many arts, the root of courageous intellect. He was a master of cunning, a friend of the poor and the orphan, skilled in diplomacy like Chanakya, clever at understanding the inner thoughts of others, handsome and charming like Kamadeva, a thief with thieves, a saint with saints, crooked with the crooked, and straight with the straight, a simpleton with simpletons, a clever one with the clever, a king with kings, a warrior with warriors, a gambler with gamblers, and a chatterbox with chatterboxes. His heart was as pure as a crystal gem. Therefore, he quickly understood the true nature of others. He would amaze people with his astonishing tricks, wandering around like a great, wise Vidhyadhar, fulfilling his desires. He had a great weakness for gambling. Because of this, his father humiliated him and banished him from home. So, he wandered and reached the city of Ujjayini, which shone like Devapuri. Using a magical pill, he became a hunchback and a dwarf. He would amaze people with many such tricks. Gradually, he gained fame there through his skills.
In the city of Ujjayini, there lived a beautiful courtesan named Devadatta, whose beauty and artistic skills put even the gods to shame. She was proficient in all the arts. There was no one in that city who could entertain her as well as she could entertain herself. When Mooladeva heard this, he set up camp near her house to attract her. He played music like a god, a Gandharva, or a Tumburu, early in the morning. When the sweet melody reached Devadatta's ears, she asked, "Whose voice is so sweet?" She was very surprised and sent her maid to find out. The maid immediately searched and told the courtesan, "Devi! He looks like a dwarf, but his voice is so good and his nature is so gentle that there is no one like him in this area."