Mokshamala

Author(s): Manu Doshi
Publisher: Manu Doshi

Page 34

Lesson 41: A beggar's plight, Part 1
One wretched beggar was wandering in a wood. As he got hungry, he went to a town with tumbling feet and reached an ordinary man's home. There he begged for something to eat. The landlady was moved by his entreaties and gave him some left over sweets. The beggar was overjoyed to get it. He went out of the town and sat under a tree. Cleaning a portion of that area he placed his water pot on one side, spread his tattered blanket and started taking the food. After finishing the food with much joy he rested his head upon a stone and lay on the blanket. Having taken heavy food he soon got asleep.
During the sleep he had a dream. He dreamt that he had gained royal status; he had put on precious clothes and ornaments; his dominion extended over the entire country: servants were standing by to carry out his commands; whisk-bearers were hailing him; he was lying on a luxurious cot in a palace; heavenly damsels were serving at his feet; and cool soothing breeze was blowing from the fans. His body-hairs were raised by the excitement of availing that dreaming pleasure. Meanwhile there arose clouds in the sky: the sun was covered; it became dark; lightening began to flash; and heavy rain was imminent. By that time there was a thundering sound and the poor beggar got awakened.
Lesson 42: A beggar's plight, Part 2
As he looked around, he noticed that his worn water pot was at the same place; he was lying on the same tattered blanket and he had on his body the same dirty clothes with holes all around. Nothing had increased or decreased even a bit. There was neither that country nor the capital city; neither the palace nor the cot; neither the umbrella-holders nor the whisk-bearers; neither the damsels nor the clothes and ornaments; neither the fans nor the breeze, neither the followers nor command-bearers; neither the luxurious pleasure nor the authority and its infatuation. He found himself exactly as he had been. He felt sad that there was nothing of the luxury and pleasure that he had dreamt of. He said to himself, 'I could not avail the pleasure of the dream and have been vainly experiencing the sadness resulting from it.'
Oh worthy beings, the worldly happiness is identical to that of a dream. As the beggar came across lot of happiness in the dream and felt overjoyed, the worldly people remain pleased with the dream-like happiness of the world. As the beggar found the same as non-existing on waking up, the worldly happiness also seems illusory on getting enlightened. As the beggar came across sadness without actually experiencing happiness, the deluded people conceive of happiness in the worldly life and feel happy over it. In the end, however, they get sadness and low state of existence that lead them to repentance. The worldly happiness is fickle and destructible like a dream and leads to sadness in the end. The wise men therefore seek the beneficence of soul. The following verse depicts the ephemeral nature of worldly life.
Vidyut Laxmi Prabhutä Patang, Äushya Te To Jalnä Tarang: Purandari Chap Anang Rang, Shun Rächie Tyän Kshanano Prasang!
Wealth is transitory like lightening, authority is short-lived like a kite, life span is like a ripple of water and sexual pleasure is merely apparent like a rainbow; what is there to be relished in such momentary aspects?
Explanation: Wealth is like lightening; as lightening flashes like a spark and disappears, the wealth also disappears in no time. The authority is like the hue of a kite; as the kite-hue lasts only for a few days, the authority also slips away from the hand within a short time. Age span is like a ripple of water, as a ripple rises and instantly falls, we also take birth in one embodiment and move to another. Sexual pleasure is like a rainbow in the sky; as a rainbow arises during monsoon and soon disappears, the sexual instinct arises