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neglected me, and insulted me. How long can I take this? For many years I tried to make her understand, but I realized that she was beyond redemption. Therefore, I decided to let her live the way she wants, and I started taking more interest in meditation. Her relatives saw this as an opportunity and moved into my house. They made it impossible for my brothers to stay in our house. I was not blind; I saw all this but tolerated it without saying a word. Still, she would not leave me alone or let me live peacefully. Tell me, Gurudev, what else could I do?"
Mahashatak collapsed in my lap and started sobbing. I had no words to comfort him. He was finding solace in the emotional release.
Sudharma was very disturbed by Mahashatak's story. Sudharma is very kind and sensitive, and is happy when he is with happy people, but gets disturbed when he sees people suffering. He could not tolerate Mahashatak's plight and asked, "Why do good people have to suffer like this? Above all, why is it that the dear ones who are supposed to make you happy end up being your worst tormentors?"
“Sudharma," I said. “You know that all the riches or the knowledge in the world does not make one happy. One must have good character. This means cultivating a strong family atmosphere which influences each family member. A single member with bad character can spoil that ambiance. An unbaked earthen pot cannot hold water for long, nor can a baked pot with holes in it. The pot has to pass through fire to get baked. Likewise, knowledge, wealth, or happiness cannot remain for long in a family or with an individual of low character. The character of
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