Light Of Life

Author(s): Padmasagarsuri
Publisher: Arunoday Foundation

Page 28

When on a certain day some Sadhus visited their house, she said. "Revered sirs! My son wants to go abroad. May he go? Kindly tell us what is proper according to Dharma''. Tire Sadhus said: "You may permit him to go abroad: but take from him three promises. Let him take hese three vows: "I will not eat meat; I will not drink liquors, and I will not develop intimacy with other women" Subsequently Gandhiji took these three vows to keep off those vices that are the gateways to sin and are opposed to our culture and then he went abroad. Gandhiji says that he developed the lofty virtue of non-violence only on account of the influence of those vows; and that on account of those vows, he attained spiritual development and elevation Gandhiji says, “If I had not taken those vows, I would have ruined myself spiritually eating improper food, entertaining improper thoughts; drinking liquors and gambling. A great benefaction has been done to me by those great men and by my mother who saved me from ruin by making me undertake those vows." Therefore, Dharma is essential as a force to organize our life properly; to place a restraint on us and to save us from spiritual ruin. Dharma does not put us in bondage; it does not coerce us to do anything; it does not robus of anything; but on the cont. rary, it guides us and bestows upon us the highest kind of splendour and felicity"
Dharma is so useful and beneficial that it gave us a great man like Gandhi and he got us freedom. He brought freedom to crores of people. One man secured freedom from bondage ; and he brought freedom to all from bondage. The point is that one individua! can bring about a revolution in the entire society. Gandhiji used to say. “I can give up food, but I cannot live without offering prayers to the Paramatma." "When he was asked, "From where did your ideas derive their strength ? At your word, hundreds and thousands of people go to jail and hundreds and thousands of people give up their wealth. How can your words exercise such influence ?" Gandhiji gave this reply." I have enshrined in my heart the image
17