Story Book

SR No.: 007663
Original Sutra Author: Shrimad Rajchandra
Author: Dinubhai M Patel
Publisher: Shrimad Rajchandra Ashram
Total Pages: 67
Language: English
Classification: Book_English & Rajchandra
File Size: 20 MB

Page 57

Mokshmala - Lesson-46,47. Kapil Muni Part
II
LESSON-46. KAPIL MUNI (MONK) PART-I
There was a city called Kaushambi. In its royal assembly there lived a learned man named Kashyap. His wife's name was Shreedevi who gave birth to a son named Kapil whose father expired when he was only fifteen years old. As Kapil was the only son, he was nurtured with all love and affection but he could not be a wise learned man and so some other man replaced his father's post. Whatever Kashyap earned by his skill and bequeathed to his son, was all spent in maintenance by Kapil who could earn no more.
Once Shreedevi was standing at the entrance of her house when she saw the learned Pandit on her husband's position passing by her house along with some of his servants moving with honour and pride. Seeing him going with great honour Shreedevi remembered the glory of the past time. She recollected how she enjoyed happiness when her husband served as a court Pandit. She reflected that not only she lost that happiness by her husband's demise but to add to that even her son Kapil did not study well. Thus she was engrossed in such sorrowful thoughts and tears burst out from her eyes. Just at that time Kapil returned home and asked his mother reason for her weeping and though reluctant to tell the reason, on his insistence, she said to him as to why she wept.
At this Kapil said "See Mother! I am ofcourse intelligent, but I have not been able to use my intelligence enough and so without the learning required to take my father's position I could not be selected; now if you permit, I am prepared to go where I can learn enough to my capacity." Shreedevi sorrowfully replied 'It is not possible for you. Otherwise there in Shrawasti town on the border of Aryawarta, your father's friend named Indradatta stays and he trains many students in scriptural learning - if you can go there, then you can learn from him as much as desired.' Soon after a couple of days Kapil departed for Shrawasti town and within limited time Kapil reached the residence of Indradatta and seeing Indradatta at his house told him his whole story and reminding him of his father's friendship with Indradatta requested to accept him as his student
Indradatta happily granted the request and started teaching Kapil. But Kapil had to beg for his food as he had no money for his maintenance during his study. Begging took a long time and at noon he had to cook his meals from the material got by begging and this way he spared very little time to study. Pandit asked Kapil the reason for his slow pregress in study, at which Pandit showing sympathy took Kapil to a rich man and arranged through him with a Brahmin widow to give Kapil cooked food regularly and thus relieved Kapil from his anxiety.
LESSON-47. KAPIL MUNU (MONK)-PART-I
While from this minor anxiety he was relieved, other major anxiety of worldly engagement arose. Kapil was in his prime of youth and that Brahmin widow who served him daily meals was also quite young and there being no other living member in her house they both came in regular contact and fell in love ! See how dangerous is the lonely contact !!
Kapil forgot his mission of learning and he and this Brahmin widow could hardly maintain themselves from what he received in charity from a rich man as arranged by Indradatta. As days passed by, both of them hardly could cloth themselves well. Kapil instead of remaining a
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