Golden Steps To Salvation

Author(s): Padmasagarsuri
Publisher: Arunoday Foundation

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bodiless one (Videhi) ? The Emperor replied, “Tomorrow you dine with me. That will answer your question.”
The next day the king ordered his men to announce in the city that the minister had been caught red-handed in committing a secret crime; and that one hour after dinner he would be impalcd. on the spear of execution as punishment.
The King had ordered secretly that for that day's dinner the sweets should be devoid of sweetness and that the food should be tasteless without spices. After the dinner was over, the king asked the minister, "How did you like the food ?"
The minister replied, "Oh King! The food was prepared according to your order. It was prepary weil. There can be no doubt about it. But since one hour after the dinner you would send me to death on the spear of execution my tongue kept pushing the food in without tasting it. Hence I cannot tell you anything about the taste of the food.”
The king said, “You are not going to be killed. I ordered that proclamation to be made only to answer your question. You believed that I would execute you. On account of the fear of death, your tongue could not experience the taste of the fond. This is your experience. Death is going to overcome every living thing in the world at some time or the other. But no one remembers this point. If they remember it, all would be detached. I keep thinking of death always. Hence, I take no interest in sensual pleasures. This is the reason why people say that I am bodiless (Videhi) though I am in the body.
Detachment makes us bodiless.