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The Conquest of Lanka
107
"Am I running away from the battle-field ? Is not my spirit of renunciation genuine ?”
"No; No. Not at all! this spirit of renunciation in you has been prompted by defeat, disgrace and humiliation. This is born out of sorrow; not out of knowledge.”
"No. This is false. This is untrue. I am not running away turning my back on my enemies."
"If after tumbling down, one leaves a stony path and pursues a smooth path of peace and felicity, is it running away from the battle-field ? Is it running away in fear if one discards the company of a betrayer after one has experienced betrayal. The Samsar has betrayed me. Is it running away in disgrace and despair if one does not eat the food because he has realized that it is poisoned ? No. No. I am not running away from Samsar; I am not turning away from the Samsar; but I am only renouncing Samsar, changing my way of life. My spirit of renunciation is surely born out of knowledge; not out of sorrow, and anguish. If any sorrowful event opens the eyes of knowledge, and if in consequence, the spirit of renunciation appears; it is not born out of sorrow; on the contrary, it is born out of knowledge.
The defeat and humiliation I have suffered at the hands of Dashmukh Ravan have awakened in me the propensity to realize and estimate the truth; and has removed the scales of illusion from my eyes and have inspired in my mind the determination to carry out my supreme duty”.
“Yet, if you became a Shraman in this context, you will become a laughing stock; for all people will jeer at you; and will deride you. The prestige of your ancestors will become stained”.
"If I hesitate to carry out my noble determination out of the fear that people will criticise me, will it not be cowardice on my part ? Will I not become despicable in the eyes of the countless souls that have attained perfection ? Ah ! the censure of people is transient. Condemnation is not permanent. For fear of censure I cannot give up my long-cherished objective. If I
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