Light Of Life

Author(s): Padmasagarsuri
Publisher: Arunoday Foundation

Page 77

for it to come out.
As long as children cannot speak, their mother feeds them and they take in food. They speak whatever they are taught to speak. But danger arises when teeth appear.
The first gate of Dharmatatva is the mouth. It begins with the tongue and ends with self-realisation.
The tongue gathers Karma by eating what should not be eaten, By speaking what should not be spoken, it creates flames which burn us. First, we should exercise a restraint on our tongue; i. e., on our speech.
THE PURITY OF FOOD.
Impure food inspires ignoble thoughts and ignoble thoughts impel ignoble conduct. First of all, if there is purity in our food, our thoughts will attain sanctity. Even Vedas cannot sanctify a man who is devoid of noble conduct and who does not carry out spiritual austerities. You may carry out the Pratikraman; you may carry out the Samayik; you may take vows; you may go to the temple but all these will be futile if your food is not pure. No austerity can bear an auspicious fruit if your food is impure.
If there is purity in your food there will be purity in your thoughts. As is the food; so is your mood. A vast majority of people eat such food as would help doctors.
THE PURUTY OF SPEECH
The great Acharyas have explained how we should speak. If your speech is pure, that will help you to carry out spiritual austerities; otherwise, distortions will appear. The distortions of the senses arise from the distortions of the mind and will increase as your mental distortions increase.
PROFIT AND LOSS.
Neither profit; nor loss.
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