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Monks' Dilemma
Monks' Dilemma
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out by hand to practice tolerance to excruciating pain in the process. It is cruelty to numerous root cells as each cell is a life form in itself. He could not yet find any logic in it in spite of being in the monkhood for over thirty years. She looked healthier, well built, smarter and more charming than during her life as a nun. Rigorous and regimented life style then had affected her health because as a nun she resorted to repeated fasting every alternate day, continuously for three or eight days and even up to a month as ordained for monks and nuns. He also felt that prolonged fasting was against the very basic tenets of non-violence because innumerable life forms inside human body depending on food taken by humans would die premature death and that fasting would also upset the normal biological digestive cycle. Though he had promised to organise a broad based conference of monks and intelligentsia to discuss threadbare the issue of redundancy or utility of monkhood, yet he was hesitant as it might boomerang in the form of strong revolt from communities of various sects. His conscience was pulling in opposite directions. He was under immense obligation to the community which respected and adored him and had spent millions on various educational, medical and other philanthropic projects on his bidding whereas he was also not convinced about the process of recruitment in monkhood and the order of nuns as he himself had been a victim. He was ambivalent and in a dilemma. He could neither retract nor decide conclusively about the promised conference. He decided to postpone it as much as possible.
Deepti was in constant touch with Vijay, Vibha and her parents urging to finalise marriage proposals for both Shree and herself. She requested them to make a surprise visit to Bangalore and inform Deepak only a day before their arrival.
Her plan worked.
It was Saturday evening when they were taking their lunch when the telephone rang. Shree picked it. It was from Vijay and for Deepak.
Vijay was brief, "We are reaching Bangalore tomorrow morning, Vibha, her brother Vibhu and their parents are also accompanying. Rest when we meet."
Just an hour later there was another phone call. Deepti took the call. It was from her father. She called Deepak to talk.
Chandrapal Singh also was very brief, "We have not met before. My wife and I are coming to see our daughter Deepti. Please give the phone to her."
