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Discretion at Depth
termed her Rakshikä and entrusted her with the task of keeping the valuables in safe custody.
Thereafter he asked for the grains from the fourth. She said that she would need cart loads for bringing them. Dhanya feigned amazement and asked her why she needed cartloads for five grains. Thereupon Rohini told him how they were grown season after season. Dhanya was very pleased. He realized that the girl would not only maintain the prosperity and reputation of the family but would enhance it. He congratulated her for right understanding of taking care of the grains. He called her Rohini and entrusted her with planning and management of the household.
There is a spiritual significance of the story. The old man stands for the preceptor and grains for five restraints for laymen. The preceptor asks the pupils to adopt the five restraints. Pupils may take vows for the purpose, but there are those, who do not care to observe them; they are like Ujjilaki. There are those, who intend to observe, but do not stick to it; they are like Bhakshikä. There are also those, who scrupulously observe the restraints, but there is no impact thereof on their lives; they are like Rakshikä. And there are those, who make out the purpose of observing the restraints and try to gain increasing internal purification thereby; they are like Rohini.
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