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THE FAMILY AND THE NATION
in refining and sublimating his kama will live a life of peace, contentment, ecstasy and composure. Absolute freedom from kama does not appear plausible for a human being living in the world of sensory feasts but sublimation and refinement of kama is certainly possible.
Once, a saint gifted with supernatural powers (siddha) arrived in a village. Learning about his power to fulfil any wish, a multitude of people gathered around him to have their wishes fulfilled. A woman in her fifties came and wished to be a young lady so that she could be attractive to her husband. The siddha said, 'Be it so,' and she turned into a nymph. When her husband, a poor peasant, saw her he became very angry and admonished her for opting to be a nymph rather than asking for wealth and comfort. He went to the siddha and wished for his wife to become a female donkey. The siddha said, 'Be it so', and the peasant's wife at once became a female ass and started grazing in the field. After a while, when the son of the peasant arrived and saw a female ass grazing in the field, he scolded his father for not being vigilant. When his father narrated the entire story, the astonished son went to the siddha and asked for his mother to be reinstated in her original form. The siddha said, 'Be it so,' and the ass got transformed into the old woman again. What is the moral of the story? There is no place for selfishness and anger in a family.
PURIFICATION OF EMOTIONS There are two main causes of familial conflict-wealth and behaviour. Man's attitude and behaviour are immensely affected by the expansion of the world of material objects. Money is the main means of obtaining these objects. Hence, economic achievements take centre stage in life and attitudes and behaviour get moulded accordingly.
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