Bhagvana Mahavira

Author(s): Tulsi Acharya
Publisher: Jain Vishva Bharati

Page 29

Thirty Years of Family Life
21
of the proposal of the latter's marriage, the prince found himself in a strange situation. He had been absorbed in the spiritual reality, trying to feel his oneness with it. His life in the family did not at all disturb his spiritual preoccupations. Marriage implies duality. One has to enter into worldly relations with another being. The husband's consciousness will have to be diverted to the external world. Vardhamāna was unwilling.
Unattachment
The prince lived in the royal palace surrounded by relatives, servants and all kinds of prosperity and comforts but his mind was turned inwards into the depths of the self. His tendencies had become spiritualized. Man's ego remains shared by the attractions of the world when his spiritual consciousness is undeveloped. Once the spirit wakes up, sensuous pleasures do not attract him any more and the world begins to appear to be tasteless. Vardhamāna's spirit had attained this stature and he lived in the world unattached like the lotus in the pond. Vardhamāna had his own spiritual kingdom to rule and he seemed to live in a different
orld to the amazement of his parents and relatives. He observed strict austerity in matter of food. This was resented by all. They failed to appreciate his abstinence. Similarly they could not understand the attitude of compassion and equality which the prince adopted towards everyone. People had expected him to develop an authoritarian attitude as a prince.
People believe that everyone should swim with the current. But there are some who would like to swim against the current. They like to toe an independent line. Such people become a problem for their relatives and friends. The parents of the prince wanted to see him behave like a traditional prince. But the prince had become enlightened and sought new horizons. It was impossibe for him to be traditional in his attitude.