Golden Steps To Salvation

Author(s): Padmasagarsuri
Publisher: Arunoday Foundation

Page 83

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There is a similar proverbial statement in Sanskrit
also :
arafoi fare: effort
वृत्ततस्तु हतो हतः ॥
Akshino vittatah kshino
Vrittatastu hato hataḥ.
"The man who has lost his wealth has lost nothing but the man whose character is lost is as good as being dead."
It is necessary to make a lot of sacrifices and to practise tolerance to maintain the purity of our conduct or action. Without hardships objectives cannot be fulfilled. When you are ready and willing to face and endure all kinds of hardships for the sake of the attainment of worldly prosperity which is mutable and transitory, you should be happy and willing to endure difficulties and adversities to attain Sadachar or nobility of conduct, which is a giver of enduring felicity.
In order to secure a place in the State Legislative Assembly or in Parliament you have to contest elections, spend lots of money and sweat a lot. When that is so, can you attain the status of Paramātmā easily? In order to attain the state of Paramātmā you must fight against anger, pride, delusion, greed etc., which are the enemies of the soul. You have to perform tapasya and you have to renounce all your affluence and influence, and help others.
The tamboora has four strings. They produce four sounds, namely, Pa-sā, Sa-sa and these sounds provide a basis for the singer to render his song. In the same manner, in life, the jiva, if it should lead a pure and righteous existence needs the support or basis of darshan (faith in shastras), Jnan (knowledge of shastras), Chāritrya (character) and tapa (austerity).
Just as the sounds produced by the strings of a sarangi please the ears of the listeners, in life the conduct emerging from right action and character would please