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Yagadi Samuchaya
A wise, discerning person who is afflicted with raga (passion) seeks refuge in a skilled physician, and without discarding his own wisdom, he follows the physician's instructions and takes the prescribed medicine, thereby becoming free from raga. Similarly, a wise, discerning, learned soul who has attained right understanding seeks refuge in a knowledgeable physician in the form of a Sadguru, and discarding his own mental speculations and whims, he takes the medicine of the Ratnatraya according to the instructions of the Sadguru, and thus becomes free from the raga of rebirth. But a foolish, undiscerning person who is attached to wrong practices, like a camel owner who is attracted by sweet-talking, incompetent quacks, falls prey to their deceitful treatment and suffers further, remaining bound by raga. Similarly, a childish, ignorant soul who is attached to worldly pleasures, seeks refuge in a false guru who speaks sweet words that appear appealing at first but are actually poisonous in their consequences, and through the incompetent remedies of this inept physician, he falls deeper into the abyss of rebirth and remains bound by raga. And so on, there are different types of people afflicted by raga, and even among them, there are differences in the prognosis of the severity and curability of raga.
Just as raga can be controlled and cured through appropriate treatment, so too can the raga of rebirth be controlled and cured through appropriate treatment. In the treatment of raga, just as there is a need for a skilled, expert physician who truly understands the root cause, the reason, the form, the signs, the consequences, and the treatment of raga, so too in the treatment of the raga of rebirth, there is an indispensable need for a knowledgeable, wise Sadguru who truly understands the root cause, the reason, the form, the signs, the consequences, and the preventive treatment of the raga of rebirth. Just as there is a need for excellent medicine in the prevention of disease, so too there is a need for the medicine of right faith, right knowledge, and right conduct in the prevention of the raga of rebirth. Just as taking the right medicine with the right diet is beneficial and leads to healing, while taking it without the right diet is harmful, so too taking the medicine of the Ratnatraya with the right diet of following the guru's instructions is beneficial and leads to liberation, while taking it without the right diet is harmful and leads to spiritual downfall. The supreme seer, Shrimad Rajchandraji, has said:
"Raga is like self-delusion, the Sadguru is the knowledgeable physician;
Following the guru's instructions is like the right diet, the medicine is contemplation and meditation." - Shri Atmasiddhi
And thus, just as a person afflicted with raga becomes healthy through appropriate treatment, so too...