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Shri Mahavir Jain Aradhana Kendra
www.kobatirth.org
Acharya Shri Kailassagarsuri Gyanmandir
168
It is said that in the City of Baghdad, once fifty thousand people died of plague. Actually only five thousand people died of plague. The other forty five thousand people died of the fear of plague. Compared to plague itself, the fear of plague proved to be nine times more destructive and devastating.
In a village in the State of Bihar, once some one was arranging tiles over his house before the rainy season, While he was laying the tiles, he felt that a thorn pricked his finger. He ignored it and completed his work of laying the tiles over the roof of his house. One year later, when he was again arranging the tiles at that very spot, he saw the dead body of a snake which had dried up and was sticking there. Then, he remembered what had happened a year ago and thought that the snake must have bitten him. Paralysed by fear, he fell down from there; became unconscious and died within a few minutes. This incident illustrates how the fear of a snake bite can be more dangerous than an actual snake.
Four boys went to Benaras to carry out their studies. Before they set out, an old woman who lived in the neighbourhood gave them each a cup of curds. After drinking the curds, they set out. Twelve years later after completing their education, they returned home. When they went to the old woman to salute her, she said, “Dear children! Are you alive? I gave you curds on that day and later I found a dead snake in the pot from which I took out the curds." On hearing this, suddenly all the four young men fell down unconscious and died. If a snake is poisonous, it can cause an immediate death by its bite but how can its poison kill people twelve years later? They died not on account of the effect of the snake's venom but on account of fear. Fear can cause such havoc.
There were seven men. One day they set out together to earn money. While they were travelling, the sun set. They thought it would be dangerous to travel in the night. So, they rested beneath a tree on the side of the road. They sat talking for a while and when they felt
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