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PHILOSOPHY OF SOUL
old age, senses are enfeebled, physical vigour is abated, teeth are lost, ears refuse to hear, eyes stop their functions, hairs shine silvery, waist prop bends down, skin has wrinkles, movement is not possible without support of a stick and food is not digested. Moreover, there are worries from many sources. How can one practise religion under such conditions. Leave aside such practice but even hearing religious preachings is not possible. Most of such people reap the fate as that of an old dame named "Gomati".
TALE OF GOMATI
In a city named Shripura there lived a wealthy man Vasu by name. Gomati was his wife and Dhanpal was his son. Vasu died suddenly and the entire domestic burden was being borne by the widow. She was bitter-tongued and quarrelled often with her daughter-in-law. Son Dhanpal sorrowfully once uttered, "Old mother, these are the days when you should practise religion. Therefore, cast aside worries for the home and listen to religious preachings. From tomorrow one very learned preacher shall come to our place to preach scriptures". The learned preacher arrived on the next day with Mahabharat and took his elevated seat. Gomati and other ladies sat in front and religious narrations commenced. He said: "Bhisma said". But immediately Gomati's attention was drawn to a dog in the verandah and she got up. She took up a stick and drove away the dog. She placed the stick at the proper place and again took her seat to hear the preachings. The preacher resumed his narration and said: "Bhisma said". But the old lady looked at the kitchen wherein a cat crept toward a milkpot. The old woman at once got up and complained: "No one is vigilant here. The cat is about to drink the milk". She drove away the cat, put other articles in order and returned to the seat before the preacher.
Third time when the preacher commenced, she saw a calf running away from the cowshed. The old lady got up, tied the calf to the post and returned to listen to the preachings.
The preacher found her behaviour quite abnormal but he could not help. He commenced to read the scriptures for the fourth time. He said: "Bhisma said...." But the old lady got up to fly the crow which perched on the roof. She said, "This crow does not allow me to listen to the preachings".
