Bhavana Bodh

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

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BHAVANA BODH
experts in curing bodily ailments by yogic practices, came to cure me from my suffering eyes; they tried all sorts of medicines and psychical cures but none of them could cure me from my ailments and this O King, was my experience of being an orphan. My father began to spend all his wealth for curing my ailing eyes but all in vain. My mother felt too much miserable at my ailments but she could not also cure my eyes and this confirmed my feeling of being an orphan; my elder and younger brothers tried to help me by all means they could command and yet I could not be cured. Similarly my elder and younger sisters tried to help me but none of them succeeded in curing my disease; my wife who was devoted to rne and loved me with all her being, shed tears on me, applied various kinds of cooling soothing medicines to my eyes, head and the rest of the body, serving me and staying at my bidding near to me day and night for days together but due to the killing pain I was suffering from, I could not enjoy her or satisfy her. Such an obedient wife, who never left my company without my permission, could not relieve my pain and this O King, was my feeling of being an orphan. Thus neither the affection of some, nor the medicines of some, nor the vailings of some, nor the efforts of some could relieve me from my disease and on all these occasions, I suffered unbearable pain.
Then I really felt dejected at my contact with the unending worldly matters and I decided that in case I get relief from this unbearable bodily sufferings, I would adopt an ascetic life with a spirit of forgiveness to all, of ascetic sense-control and a life of moving without any worldly desires. Thinking this way I went into good sleep and O King, when night passed off, my disease disappeared and I felt great relief. In the next morning, I disclosed my decison of renunciation of family life to my parents, wife and the rest and with their blessings, leaving all of them I took to this ascetic life. Thereafter I became lord of self as well as others soul, and now I am the Lord, Protector of all kinds of living beings. Thus the Anathi Muni - the ascetic persuaded the King Shrenik to feel the Asharan Bhavana strongly in his mind and now the ascetic further advises the king in that connection.
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