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DISCOURSE 13
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mother entertains wicked thoughts and feelings. Thus, if a pregnant woman desires to know the future of her child, she can know it. By examining her own thoughts and feelings, she can say whether the child in her womb is going to be noble or ignoble.
When Kaikasi, the mother of Ravana conceived and when Rayana entered her womb, she took a sword in her hand and began fretting and strutting about. Sometimes, she sat on the throne and threatened all the servants, waving her sword. Sometimes, she sat upon an elephant and ranged through forests. Sometimes, she grew furious with the members of the family. Always, she proudly kept strutting about.
If a pregnant woman is aware of her thoughts and feelings, she can know a lot about the child in her womb.
When Kunik was in the womb of Chelana, the Queen-consort of Shrenik, the Emperor of Magadha, she felt that the child in her womb would become the enemy of its father because at that time Chelana herself had a desire of that sort. "I will eat the intestines of Shrenik." Strangely enough she entertained the unclean desire of eating her husband's intestines. She was a woman of great chastity and sanctity and when she felt that desire in her mind, she concluded that the jiva that was there in her womb would surely become his father's enemy. For this reason, soon after the child was born, she cast it off on a rubbish-heap outside the city. "I do not want such a son as will become his father's enemy." This is what she thought. She cast away her child because she had boundless affection for her husband. Whoever likes the enemy of one's beloved ?
Madanrekha desired to worship the Paramatma. She desired to offer gifts to sadhus and noble people. She decided to give charity to the poor. Yugabahu fulfilled all her desires. As days passed, Madanrekha's beauty grew more and more resplendent. Her mental peace also increased. Since for some months, there was no trouble caused by Manirath, she thought, "Manirath has given up his infatuation for me on account of my message." How can a woman of such simplicity and sublimity of
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