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PHILOSOPHY OF SOUL
475
With influence of this charity made by the merchant enthusiastically he secured right belief, the very seed of salvation.
At night after his walk the merchant went to the preceptor. Having bowed down to the preceptor he sat near the feet of the preceptor with full devotion. The preceptor with serene and sublime voice delivered his prcachings thus :
"Religion is the highest bliss, begetting heaven and salvation. It is an excellent guide to cross over the dense worldly forest."
“Religion nourishes like mother, protects like father, pleases like a friend, loves like a relative, leads to the path of virtues like a preceptor and procures highest glory as the lord does.”
Religion is the magnanimous abode of happiness, impregnable armour against the enemies and effective drug destroying stupidity.”
"With the help of religion, one becomes a king, a Baladeva, a Vasudeva, a Chakravarti, or an Indra or even a prophet worshipped by three worlds. This means all the riches, powers and prowess are to be attributed to religion."
“This religion is observed by practising righteous conduct charitable deeds, penances and entertaining emotions. Just as' all the feudatory kings approach the Suzerain king on receiving his invitation, righteous character and other virtues approach the soul."
Alms given in charity to a deserving person beget religious merit, if given to some other person, feelings of piety spreads, given to a friend thickens love, given to a foe destroys enmity, given to servants enhances their loyalty, given to a king begets honours and given to bard propagates fame—Thus alms given in charity never prove futile. Alms given in charity do not decrease wealth but increase wealth. It is so said, “We receive that in the next world what is extended by us in charity. By giving over, wealth is aggravated and not abated. Well gives over its waters daily but still new waters always spring up."
Thus listening regularly about religion, the merchant Dhan rigidly affixed his faith to religion and observed religious practices to his best.
