Bhavana Bodh

Author(s): Shrimad Rajchandra
Publisher: Shrimad Rajchandra Ashram

Page 20

BHAVANA BODH
13
young ascetic (Muni) and the King, being amazed at his incomparable and excellent beauty, began to shower all praises on him within his mind.
Oh! how nice is the skin colour of this ascetic! On how beautiful is his form! Oh what an affability this ascetic commands ! Oh how, wonderful is his hold on torgiveness! Oh how, by his bodily features, he inspires in others a spirit of non-attachment! Oh how fine is his attitude of desirelessness! Oh what an astounding fearless modesty and humility he shows in his behaviour! Oh how steadfast he is in keeping himself away from all worldly enjoyments! Thinking constantly this way, being much delighted at heart, mentally praising all his virtues posture, approaching gently towards him, taking circles round him venerably and then going near to him, he bowed down to that ascetic and sat at a reasonable distance neither too near nor too far. Then with folded hands, he in all humility, asked that ascetic.
O Arya! (noble person) you are an youth worthy of all praise. Your age is quite fit for worldly enjoyments. This worldly life is full of various kinds of pleasures and happiness such as sense and s pleasures suiting to changing seasons, pleasures of water play and hearing affectionate overtures of enticing women. Leaving all these pleasures and sources of enjoyments and happiness, you at this young age, strive hard for ascetic living, why have you chosen this life? please be compassionate and tell me the reason of your highly practising this ascetic life.
Hearing this address of the King, the ascetic said I was an orphan. O great King! none from this worldly life could be a bit good friend who could help me to secure self-knowledge which I had never attained before, nor the one friend who could guide me to preserve self knowledge when acquired, nor a friend who could show compassion to me and mercifully lead to etemal joy and bliss. This was the reason of my experience of being an orphan.
King Shrenik smiled to himself, hearing this reply from the ascetic and said "Oh how do you, possessed of yogic powers, say that you are an orphan? If you still feel so, I am prepared to be your helper and protector. O you fearless ! you start enjoying all worldly