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Shri Mahavir Jain Aradhana Kendra
www.kobatirth.org
Acharya Shri Kailassagarsuri Gyanmandir
श्रुतसागर
10
सितम्बर-२०१७ with the iron-hook of Dharma.
By means of Dharma, we can attain felicity in this world and the other world. Dharma gives us sense and wisdom. Some great kings and emperors of India renounced their artha and kama; and became detached, omniscient and all-seeing; and attained Nirvana. Hence of the four purusharthas, the place of Dharma is the first and foremost.
The Pure Mind In the modern times, man himself has been alterng his ethical values. Today, a man's greatness is measured not by his nobility and humanity but by his wealth and worldly position. Akbar Ilahabadi says:
नहि कुछ इसकी पुरसिश उल्फते अल्लाह कितनी है। सभी यह पूछते हैं आपकी तनखाह कितनी है। Nahi kuch isaki purasish Ulfathe Allah kithani hai, sabhi yah poochathe hai apki thanakah kithani hai.
Nobody asks you how much devotion you have for God; on the other hand, all people ask you how much salary you are getting; and in this world you are honoured in proportion to your salary or wealth. People forget that man is the master of wealth. Actually, man is more valuable than money. Man should not surrender himself to wealth; on the other hand wealth should revolve round him.
In the modern times, man is as much cheap as machines are dear. Everywhere, material wealth is predominant. Man, instead of being master of machines, has become a slave to them. People come by their cars to listen to discourses but if their cars go out of order on some day, they also take leave from the discourse. A car is after all a means. The listeners get glory by their heart-felt desire to hear discourses. Their cars do not bring them any glory. Those who realize this truth will attain the Purushartha of Dharma. Such people would refrain from violence as much as they can. They would regard non-violence as their highest dharma or duty. People who pursue the path of Dharma would never think of eating meat.
There are people who visit holy places; listen to discourses; perform such rituals as Samayik (a Jain ritual) but secretly they eat meat. Among such people some begin eating meat as a matter of fashion; some eat meat to be called modern people and some eat meat to maintain friendship with meat-eaters. Some people become crazy for
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