Manava Dharma

Author(s): Bhurmal Shastri, Nihalchandra Jain
Publisher: Aacharya Gyansagar Vagartha Vimarsha Kendra

Page 59

MANAV DHARMA / 37 self by falling from a precipice or by being burnt up in fire (as in Sati) are some of the common "Mudhatas" (MUDHATAS-Follies) Description:
To act without consideration of good or bad, useful and unuseful, just or unjust, that which is copied or imitated, such work is known as "LOKMUDHATA" or Folly. This Folly is of different kinds the names of which have been given in the above verse. Out of them, the first Mudhata or mis-belief is of bathing in to the Ganges river or in an ocean. People are in habit of following some traditions and on its basis, they believe that all our sins will be washed off by taking a dip into the holy water of the river Ganges and the body will again become pious. But they fail to realise that Virtue (PUNYA you) and Vice (Sin or PAAP) are related with the inner self or soul, which is an abstract substance (3) to which the water of any holy river can not touch as has been written in the GEETA
नैनं छिन्दन्ति शास्त्राणि नैनं गहति पावकः 1 नैनमाप क्लेदयन्ति शेषयन्ति न वायवः 11
(यह जले नहीं कभी अग्नि में, भीगे न कभी पानी में। सूखे न पवन के द्वारा यह आत्मा हमारा ।। )
Explanation :
"Self or inner soul is not injured by weapons, not burnt by fire neither drench by water nor dried up by wind."
It is a folly to believe the body as pure, because by nature it is impure and a storage of filth and urine. A pot of latrine and urine may be washed and cleaned for several times, but how can it become pure ? Impossible is the reply. Same is the condition of our body which continuously passes the filth and dirty particles from Nine doors or holes of the body and any object, comming in contact with such dirty filth also changes into impure things. Frogs fish and other acquaties remain all the while inthe water of river Ganges but this continuous touch of water does not provide them the purity or a pure status. Can they or their inner self be called pure ? No. Not at all. Now there is a question.
Q. The taking of Bath before going for worshipping the Idol, is a useless and futile. Should it be done or not, why?
Answer: Bathing in water will only remove the outer dirt sticking to the body or external cleanliness is gained. Suppose one of our foot is bismeared with mud and some dots of the mud have