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I am the Soul
with, does not affect the jnani jiva. Its feeling towards a substance changes altogether. As a result, there arises a major difference between the common man's definition of a substance and that of a jnani.
The great poet Banarasidass, while describing how the viewpoint of such a jnani - superior soul will be, in Nataka Samaysar says -
कीचसौ कनक जाकै नीचसौ नरेस पद, मीसी मिताई गुरुवाई जाकै गारसी जहरसी जोगजाति कहरसी करामाति हहरसी हौस पुद्गल छबि छारसी जालसौ जग - विलास भालसौ भुवन वास कालसौ कुटुंब काज लोक लाज लारसी सीठसौ सुजसु जानै बीठसौ वखत मानै एसी जाकी रीति ताहिं वंदत बनारसी
789
Gold is equivalent to dust and mire. In principle, there is no difference between gold and dust. Both are groups of pudgal paramanus. That is the fact. This view can be found in even many common people.
There was a poor couple who worked hard and lived from hand to mouth. Once, at the behest of Parvati, Lord Shiva planned to gift them some gold. Both were going to the work spot, where Lord Shiva placed a bag full of gold coins in the way. The husband was leading and the wife followed at a distance. The husband hurt himself on the bag that was obstructing the road. The bag tore and spilled the contents. He was surprised to see the gold coins. The man thought, 'Somebody seems to have lost this bag.' He had no desire to pick it up but thought, 'My wife is following. Perhaps she would get tempted for we have been living in stark poverty. That would be a disaster. The desire to take away wealth that belongs to somebody else should not arise.' Therefore, he covered up the gold with some dust. Yet his wife
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