Bhavana Bodh

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

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BHAVANA BODH
Example : (2) Shri Vajraswami was completely unattached to gold and woman. One, very beautiful daughter, named Rukmini of a very rich householder much attracted by the religious teachings of Vajraswami, returning home, said to her parents that in her life, as woman, if she thought of a marriage, she would marry Vajraswami and none else and this is my vow. Hearing this, her parents were much astonished and upset and they tried to convince Rukmini that Vajraswami being an ascetic, observing a vow of strict celibacy, would never accept to marry Rukmini as he had closed all entrances of sins to his soul i.e., he had firmly accepted Samvar Bhavana and put an end to Asrav. Still Rukmini was firm in her resolve to marry Vajraswami. In the end, to please his daughter, he took her with some wealth and going to Vajraswami, he requested him to marry his beautiful and delicate daughter and accept the wealth, and enjoy worldly life after marriage. So saying, leaving Rukmini with Vajraswami, he returned home alone.
Quite youthful and full of beauty, Rukmini tried with all possible overtures to persuade Vajraswami to marry her and enjoy wealth and other pleasures; she tried to explain to him the happiness that could be obtained in married life. But all efforts to this effect, made by Rukmini, could not swerve Vajraswami from his vow of strict celibacy. Thus most beautiful Rukmini failed and Vajraswami succeeded as unmoved as Meru mountain. He was not moved even a little bit by Rukmini's allurements for marriage and resulting worldly life by her any words or feelings or lustre. In the end, Rukmini firmly realised that this self-controlled great sage Vajraswami would never break his celibacy in thought, word and deed. It may be easy to melt iron or stone but not at all possible to persuade Vajraswami to marry her. Therefore, it is in vain to think of such a marriage at all. On the contrary, to still continue to hope for marrying Vajraswami will ultimately lead to her downfall. As a result Rukmini, giving her wealth in charity, became a nun and controlling her mind, speech and bodily behaviour by various religious discipline, she speeded up her journey to self-realization. This is known as Samvar Bhavana by great philosophers.
Thus ends Samvar Bhavana in Eighth Print.