Bhavana Bodh

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

Page 30

BHAVANA BODH
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sense pleasures. Whatever burning desires of worldly life are attracting a man, all of them, one by one, are advised to be adopted by Namiraj and still wonder of all wonders is that at every stage Namiraj has been quite firm in his decision and he comes out pure as pure gold. He has shown in his answers, his inflattering march towards the ascetic life and going away further and further from worldly life. He has said "O Brahmin! Whatever things you advise me to consider as mine are not really belonging to me. I am alone and I shall leave this world alone. I therefore desire being lonely as loneliness is really praiseworthy." In replying this significant way, Namiraj has made his non-attachment stronger and firmer. Thus, this description of Namiraj's dialogue with Shakrendra is full of good lessons for all people in the world to admire and follow. This dialogue is presented to the reader for renouncing the worldly life and for adoption of the life of utter detachment or renunciation. To still further strengthen this matter, we give below an account as to how Namiraj realised his loneliness.
Namiraj was the ruler of a great kingdom called Videha. He was encircled with many young attractive women as his wives. Even though he was not allured by wrong perceptions, he appeared as if he was attracted and attached to worldly pleasures. Once upon a time his body caught a killing burning fever and he felt that his whole body was under burning sensation, which was totally unbearable to him. Every cell of his body began to give him terrible pain like thousands of scorpion bites. He took all medicines, advised by expert physicians to cure his burning sensations but all that went in vain. The more he took the medicine to cure the fever, the more rose his burning sensations and the disease increased manifold, instead of lessening. All medicines helped fever rather than working against it. None of the medicines was apathetic to this fever. Thus expert physicians failed and became helpless and the great king also was much disheartened by ever growing burning fever. All in his kingdom, were in search of such a person who would cure the king's malady. One very skilful physician was found out and he suggested the application of sandlewood pulp, available on