Book Title: Jain Darshansara
Author(s): Chainsukhdas Nyayatirth, C S Mallinathananan, M C Shastri
Publisher: B L Nyayatirth

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Page 35
________________ ( 31 ) nection an incident in the life of Gibbon, the greatest historian of "The Rise and Fall of the Roman Empire" is worth noting here. One of his friends took him one day to see St. Paul's Cathedral. The friend showed Gibbon every portion of the building, its beauty and grandeur Gibbon was greatly pleased to see the wonderful architecture. While coming down from the building they both sat for a while on a step to take rest. The friend asked Gibbon, "How do you like this temple of God? Is it not magnificent ?". The great historian replied, "Magnificent indeed but in no way more magnificent than this temple of God (pointing to an ant that was crawling on the step near their feet) in which He lives, breathes and moves". All the great men of the world and all the great religions uphold the divinity of Soul. When this divinity is developed in a soul it gains a mysterious spiritual power which makes the surroundings calm and peaceful. Even wild animals forget their cruel nature and lie down before him as tame animals. The lives of Saint Francis of Assisi and of Abdulla Hala of Bagdad give us very enteresting information as to how animals and birds, both wild as well as mild, iresponded to their calls and obeyed them. The saints addressed the animals and birds as "Brothers and Sisters" and treated them with love. Man has no right to cut short the life of a creature and thus retard its spiritual progress. Every soul is born

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