Amar Vani

Author(s): Amarmuni
Publisher: Sanmati Gyan Pith Agra

Page 46

"THE ART OF LIFE
31
Teprimanded Rathnemi of this point, saying : “Do you want to eat what has been vomittted out ? It is the dog that does so, not man. Death is far preferable to this sinful life. Verily, a forswearing life immersed in sensuous indulgences is as good as dead."
Benevolent Exploitation
So long as man lives in the world, he has to make his living by business or some other means. He has to collect many things to live in this world. This inevitably involves some amount of exploitation of the people around him. But this explotation should be benevolent. It should be like milking the cow. We keep the cow, feed her and maintain her well, and then only we milk her. Whatever feed we give to the cow, we get back in the form of milk. In the same way, man should first serve the society, should give something to it and then only take from it what is absolutely necessay for a reasonably comfortable living in society. In brief, benevolent exploitation is like milking the cow, while malevolent exploitation is like sucking the blood.
Hardness
If you have to be hard, be hard like the coconut. The coconut appears very hard and rough from outside, but from within it is full of soft, sweet and life-giving gourd and juice. It is a sin to be be hard both from within and without like a piece of stone.
"The Music of Life
The great man is at once hard like steel and soft like butter. The harmonious blending of hardness and softness makes the sweet music of good life.