Life of Shrimad Rajchandra

Author(s): Manu Doshi
Publisher: Manu Doshi

Page 26

are so subtle that contemplating about even one of them may take a lifetime. ... One, who examines all religious thoughts at depth with a comparative mind, will be surely convinced of this statement."
Thereafter there are six lessons on Concept of Happiness'. That has been dealt with in the form of a thought provoking story so as to create impression of a great man's life on the readers. A poor Brahmin goes in search of happy persons so as to decide what type of happiness he should ask for in boon. He was exhausted of moving here and there, but did not come across a truly happy man. Ultimately he came to the place of a wealthy man in Dwärikä and noticing him to be happy, he decides to ask for everything that the wealthy man had, nothing else.
Learning about his notion, the wealthy man says. "I believe that there is no real happiness anywhere in the world. It is ablaze with miseries. You see me as happy, but I am not happy in the true sense." So saying he narrated his tale. That covered the innumerable problems of the worldly life, misery resulting from the loss of millions and of the dear ones, efforts made for earning by going abroad, sins committed and the distress faced in that respect, and conditions at the time he went to Jävä alone after the loss of his family. After narrating all that, which would draw tears in the eyes of an ordinary man, he said:
"That time too I had kept my mind towards religion. I was spending a part of the day for that. It was done not for getting wealth or for any other temptation, but because I considered it a way to come out of the worldly miseries. Death may overtake at any moment and as such, it was my plan to perform religious activity to the extent possible. I had kept my attention drawn to the fact that bad conduct does not lead to happiness; it does not lead to peace of mind and the soul gets impure thereby." Thereafter describing his current wealth, present happiness and rules of good conduct, he said to the Brahmin:
"I was conducting my business very thoughtfully, but I cannot state that I did not indulge in immorality or deception. I had to resort to several types of ventures and deceptions. You are thinking to gain wealth by worshipping a deity, but that can never be gained without the wholesome Karma. Gaining wealth and thereby expanding the activities, deception and arrogance etc. are the causes of great sins. By committing that, one wastes the valuable human life in vain.... I believe that a discerning person would not accept to gain wealth and to face the problems of the worldly life. ... Do whatever you choose; you are learned and I love the learned ones. If you like, you can stay here with your family and remain involved in Dharmadhyän (religiously oriented meditation)."
Thereafter he relates his thinking to the Brahmin: "Those, who remain totally involved in deception, greed or illusion for the sake of gaining wealth, are very unhappy. They cannot avail that wealth fully or partially; they merely undergo the problems. They commit too many sins and the death takes them away all of a sudden. They are destined to the low level of existence and their worldly life continues unabated. Their human life is stripped of its value and they are always miserable.
"There are those, who retain the bare means of survival and who undertake the limited activities. They observe truth, monogamy, contentment, regulations and restraints; they are benevolent and protect other living beings; they hold low level of attachment and possessions; they study the scriptures and serve the enlightened; they have aspiration for renunciation and live much like the renounced ones; they maintain the high level of detachment and discernment. Such persons happily spend their life with purity.
"There are those, who are free from all sorts of involvement and accumulation, who move without being tied to any object, place, time or mode, who hold equanimity towards friends and foes, who spend their time in contemplating about the pure soul or stay absorbed in study. Blessed are such unattached, who have controlled their sense- organs and defiling instincts.