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PHILOSOPHY OF SOUL
399
"When calamities befall in series, like a series of ants, and when friends, relatives and companions show their backs, then religion is the only right resort"
When a man falls in the clutches of a disease then also religion is the right resort.
In a town named Talegaon near Poona, there lived a Jain lay devotee who suffered from diabetes. He neither observed nor could observe any penance. He was inspired by Shri Vijay Yashodevasuriji, to observe 'Aththai' penance which he carried out in full devotion. The disease which defied all remedies was uprooted by the end of this penance. The doctors were struck with wonder and hardly believed that such disease could at all be eradicated. The patient was fed sugar and his urine on examination contained no sugar.
The tale of the sage Anathi is already narrated by us, wherein we mentioned clearly that his disease which defied all remedies was uprooted in the morning with pious and pure religious resolve entertained at night. There are many more illustrations of this type to substantiate importance of religion.
What other better resort could there be for one despaired of life, and apprehending imminent death ?
No relative, friend, father, mother, sister, uncle, aunt can afford any shelter. Your friendship of the top ranking Government Officers proves of no avail then. You can evade judicial warrant with a bribe but death warrant is unavoidable. Then all shirk away but religion is the only resort. Despair and bereavement arising from the death of an only young son, sudden and premature death of a wife, an elder leaving the house suddenly with no trace of being found, business accidentally collapsing or incurring heavy losses can only be wiped out with the resort of religion.
Thus in this world persons deeply agitated with sorrow in various ways find solace only when they resort to religion. This is the great power and influence of religion.
NUMEROUS BENEFITS ARISING FROM RELIGION
Gentlemen,
You are all businessmen. You endeavour when you are sure of a gain, therefore, we inform you that resorting to religion is a
