Drushtant Kathao

Author(s): Shrimad Rajchandra, Dinubhai M Patel
Publisher: Shrimad Rajchandra Ashram

Page 16

Bhavnabodh - Ekatva Bhavana
remove all theft and robbery in your kingdom and protect your city from such dangers and then take to renunciation.
Namiraj : O Brahmin ! An ignorant man punishes others many a time wrongly-the body etc. which does not know of stealing, gets bound hand and foot in a prison in this world and none can bind the aberrations of senses which really initiate or plan stealing or big thefts. Then, where is the sense in this way of behaviour and action?
Brahmin - Kshatriya ! First subdue the kings who do not follow your commands and behave quite independently of you and after conquering them, you can renounce worldly life.
Namiraj :- (Inspired by objects and reasons) You may perhaps find, though difficult, many persons who would conquer ten lakhs enemy warriors but still innumerable times more difficult it is to find one who has conquered his own soul and the latter is highly respectable and deserve more praise than those conquerors of ten lakhs of warriors. It is quite fit and proper to fight with our own living soul. Where is the need to fight with your external enemies? A soul, full of knowledge should conquer the soul, full of rage etc., and such conqueror deserves all praise and veneration. It is extermely difficult to win five senses, anger, pride, deceit and greed. One who has conquered his own mind etc. has conquered everything.
Brahmin - (Inspired by objects and reasons) First perform mighty sacrifices and give satisfactory food to shraman munis - penance practisers and brahmins; give them gold etc. in charity, enjoy all mental pleasures and then retire from this world and live as an ascetic.
Namiraj :- (Inspired by objects and reasons) One who adopts ascetic life and practice self-control, obtains higher benefits than what obtained by giving every month ten lakhs of cows to Brahmins in charity.
Brahmin - As a well-behaved ascetic or a recluse, one has to put in much unbearable effort for maintaining oneself on begging food. Therefore one feels like leaving that high natured ascetic life and taking up instead some other comfortable one. To remove this difficulty, it would be advisable for you to lead a householder's life and perform religious observances such as Paushadh. O you king of men ! I tell you the right course of conduct for you.
Namiraj :- (Inspired by objects and reasons) O Brahmin ! An ignorant man, indiscriminatively may perform or undergo difficult penances but they can never be equal to the following of the right religion of the enlightened and all knowing Vardhman Mahavir. His discipline forms one's character spotlessly pure. Only one of the excellenses cannot be equal to sixteen excellences !
Brahmin :- O Kshratriya ! You first increase your possession of gold, diamonds, pearls, costly dresses, valuable ornaments, horses etc. and then you can go as a recluse.
Namiraj :- (Inspired by objects and reasons) A greedy person's greed is not satisfied even if he is given innumerable mountains of gold and silver such as Meru Mountain; he still desires more and more to achieve and he is never satisfied. Strong desire for gold and wealth has no end like the endless sky. Wealth, gold, fourlegged animals etc. may be given to a greedy man in as much quantity and number as to fill all the hollow of this world and still he will want more; in short, his greed will always remain unsatisfied. This is the miserable nature of a man's greed. Therefore, enlightened souls follow the penance of contentment.
Brahmin - (Inspired by objects and reasons) O Kshatriya ! It gives me unprecedented
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