Shraman Mahavira

Author(s): Dineshchandra Sharma
Publisher: Mitra Parishad Calcutta

Page 45

The Flame of Valour
There is a student who is known for his inteligence He enquired of me, 'What is the aim of life?'
Said I, 'The aim is not born with man One shapes one's aim in life When maturity dawns upon one different individuals fix up different aims for themselves depending upon their native proclivities'
Said the student, 'I am not curious about these timebound aims I wish to learn of the aim that is final, certain and universal the summum bonum'
'That aim is emancipation' said I after dipping myself for a moment in the inner beaming light of mind
It was a reply from my inner self The youngman readily accepted it And still I felt I should further elucidate the point Said I, 'Don't you see a parrot seeking the open wide sky outside his cage? Does a tiger like its cage, for that matter? An elephant would prefer the natural habitat of a jungle to all the mansions put together. These are the sparks that the Irrepressible flood-lights of emancipation throw up Rightly did Maharshi Manu say "That which occurs in bondage is unhappiness That which occurs in freedom is happiness Freedom is happiness and its reverse unhappiness'
Mahavira took a leap forward to blow off the ashes covering the cinders of freedom Thereafter he dispersed the crowd_ that had been following him