Atmatatva Vichar Or Philosophy Of Soul

Author(s): Vijaylakshmansuri, Ghanshyam Joshi, Kirtivijay Gani
Publisher: Mohanlal D Mehta

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PHILOSOPHY OF SOUL
Rajput smelt something mysterious about it and he came forward and asked the sadhu about the meaning of these words. The Sadhu, said that he was himself concerned with those words but if he was interested to understand the meaning he was prepared to explain these words. He said, "Look, human life has three periods. Childhood, youth and oldage. The first i.e. the childhood is good as it is full of ignorance and innocence. The last, i.e. old age is equally good as the senses are weakened and unriotous and consequently not capable of making any mischief in life, but youth has all the senses powerful, buoyant and riotous. It is then most likely to drag a man to moral degradation and hence in the second stage of life i.e. in youth the senses deserve shoehammering i.e. full restraint of senses per force."
The Rajput was very much shocked and surprised to hear this explanation. He repented and disclosed his secret and heinous intention. He paid his respects to the sadhu and went home to explain the true story to his wife.
The present anecdote teaches a lesson that rash conjectures on the basis of prima facie information very often lead to catastrophe. The king had on the contrary decided to kill the minister as he entertained rash conjectures about him.
The minister was very resolute in his ideals. To him worldly affairs are subservient to his duty towards his self—The soul. Righteousness breeds all prosperity and its neglect breeds destruction. The present day terrors and uneasiness of the world can be attributed to the neglect of religious values. Religion has the potentiality of procuring welfare for the whole world. The religious merits accepted cordially really safeguard us. It affords us resort and shelter.
It is so said, "For one crushed in numerous calamities, ailing with diseases and quarrels, despondent with fear of death and helplessness, religion is the everlasting resort."
The King began to reflect, “This minister is righteous by nature. He would not kill the innocent barber. He was my body-guard. He was my servant. He approached the minister under my instructions. The minister could have retaliated against me and not against the barber. How could he strike at a servant ?”
Anger when swells has great fury and force but with passage of time fury and force recede. So the wise have said, "Do not be