Awakening

Author(s): Padmasagarsuri
Publisher: Arunoday Foundation

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name, Rajul, the fire of lust in him blazed out. All his spiritual attainments were ruined. In absolute helplessness, he begged for union with that lady.
Rajul, who was a woman of very great chastity, integrity and spiritual attainments gave him this advice. "Oh! great sage! you renounced all pleasures and luxuries along with your kingdom. No one desires to get back what he has discarded. The wish to get back what has been renounced is undesirable like wishing for what has been vomited. Moreover, it is a despicable desire. Hence, this kind of despicable action will not bring glory to you who are a sage".
When he heard this, the fire of his lust subsided; and having performed prayaschitta (some rituals of selfpurification) he again became absorbed in a deep penance (Tapasya).
Such a lust once deprived Viswamitra of all his spiritual glory when he became infatuated with Menaka.
The same thing happened in the case of Sutha and Upasutha. These two close friends, having attained extraordinary powers, by means of penances, desired to make Brahma, Vishnu and Maheswar kneel before them. When they were together, the two were equal to 22 warriors. Vishnu came to know of this. He appeared before them in the guise of Mohini. She displayed her beauty and charms. Forgetting all their