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[ Goshala Separates
soldiers did as they were told to do. Kala-Hasti fettered the two hermits and brought them to his brother Megha. This was the same Megha, who had been in the service of the Lord's father. He recognised the Lord and set him free at once. He then begged pardon of the Lord in a thousand ways; and the Lord, after pardoning all his faults, proceeded on his way. Although Goshala bore all the troubles on the advice of the Lord, he did not bear them willingly. He was tired of them and was now wishing at heart to get rid of them. He was seeking for a way which at last he found. But what way was this? Did he attain salvation and that, too, earlier then the Lord ? Certainly not. Salvation is a precious thingso very precious that ordinary people cannot easily pay for its price. It cannot be easily obtained by the pilgrims of this world. Sometimes it is necessary that a number of lives should be devoted for obtaining it. But, then what was the way that Goshala discovered? The reader should know that. "A man gets what he wills,"; so Goshala got what he wanted. He was not in favour of ending the troubles and sufferings of this world by bearing them, but he wanted to escape from them by keeping himself aloof from them. His desire was fulfilled; and one day, while he was going with the Lord, he came to a crossing in the way. He stopped there suddenly, and said to the Lord, "I am now too much dejected at heart by suffering various kinds of unbearable troubles and calamities. It is my most sincere desire that I should always remain with you; but I have been abused, insulted, and beaten by people, so much so that it has become often impossible for me to tolerate such insults any longer. I have, therefore, decided to separate from you and to try my own
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