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Atmanushashan Acharya Gunabhadra in his Atmanushashan preaches the bewildered, worried and wandering soul in an affectionate tone to imbibe the spirit of the religion of compassion. The very name of the book, Atmanusbashan indicates that the real devem lopment of the Self depends upon the counsels and dictates of the conscious self and not passions or carnal cravings. The poet ordains thus:दुःखातिभेषि नितरामभिवाछसि सुखमतोहमप्यात्मम् ।
दुःखावहारि सुखकरमनुशास्मि तवानुमतमेव ।। २।। Oh Soul ! Thou art always afraid of pain and desirous of pleasure; therefore I offer thee the object of thy desire, which tends to give pleasure and remove pain. यद्यपि कदाचिदस्मिन् विपाकमधुरं तदात्व कटुकिंचित् ।
त्वं तस्मान्मा भैषी यथातुरो भेषजादुगात् ॥ ३ ॥ If per chance in this (advice) there be something which though sweet at fruition is yet unpalatable, be thou not afraid of that, just as a sick person is not (afraid) of bitter medicine. पापाद् दुःखं धर्मात्सुखमिति सर्वजन-सुप्रसिद्धम् ।
तस्माविहाय पापं चरतु सुखार्थी सदा धर्मम् ।।८।। Demerit produces pain, happiness follows truth (Dharma). This is well known to all. Therefore the man who desires happiness should always refrain from demerit and follow Dharma. सुखितस्य दुःखितस्य च संसारे धर्म एव तव कार्यः ।
सुखितस्य तदभिवृध्यै दुःखभुजस्तदपघाताय ॥ १८ ॥ 150
