Bhavana Sataka

Author(s): A S Gopani, Dharmshila Mahasati, Girishkumar P Shah Pandit
Publisher: Labhubhai P Mehta

Page 74

निशायां वने दुगमे निःसहायाधरन्ते धनं दस्यवो भीतियुक्ताः । कषायास्तु नक्तंदिवं सर्वदेशे,
कुकर्मास्त्रमाश्रित्य शक्ति हरन्ति . ॥५३।।. Meaning :- Anger, egoism, deceit, and greed are the four cardinal passions. They are the most powerful robbers. The ordinary robbers plunder the wealth only at night and this also they do only when there are no people to be seen at hand in a solitary place or a jungle. Moreover, they rob the people if they are not protected by police or not accompanied by a guide. That is to say they dare rob the people while the latter are absolutely in a helpless condition. Otherwise they do not. In addition to this, they do not rob the people without harbouring a cause of insecurity for themselves because they are in constant danger of being caught red-handed. But the robbers of passions are of a peculiar type in as much as they can rob a being of his spiritual wealth consisting of knowledge and character at any time either by day or night, at any place either in a jungle or a populated place, without any fear, discharging weapons in the form of wicked Karmas of a highly deadly nature. Ob! good person ! be away from these robbers called passions, if at all you want your spiritual wealth to be saved. (53)
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