________________
DISCOURSE 14
the patient alive. So also, the aim of a person, who removes the impure thoughts and emotions from somebody's mind and replaces them by sublime and pure emotions and thoughts, is to inform, reform and transform the heart and mind of that person. Madanrekha thought of the welfare of Yugabahu in the other world. She knew this: "A man attains after his death a state of bliss or a state of blight in accordance with his mental state, his attitude and his emotional state at the time of his death".
The tragic incident had produced in Yugabahu's mind intense anger against Manirath. "Manirath has dealt a mortal bow to me forgetting all sense of right and wrong". Yugabahu had realized this; and was thinking of it. On account of this, his heroism had been sharpened and the desire for a violent retaliation had arisen in his mind; and it was natural that such a feeling should have arisen in his mind. It was absolutely essential that this impure and ignoble thought should be removed from his mind. Madanrekha carried out her effort with great concern. She told him many pleasant things. Yugabahu loved Madanrekha greatly; he had faith in her; and he had a great esteem for her. Therefore, her words produced a deep impact on his heart. If their love was merely physical and if their attachment was merely one of sensual passion, Madanrekha's sensible and wise words would not have appealed to Yugabahu. Moreover, if in their earlier life, philosophical and religious discussions had not taken place at times, if Yugabahu did not enjoy philosophical and religious discussions, he would not have liked Madanrekha's words of religious inspiration at the time of his death. The third reason was Yugabahu's own spiritual purity. Only if the impurities of Karmas decline, can a man like at the time of his death, words inspiring dharma.
TO WHICH KIND OF PEOPLE CAN WORDS INSPIRING DHARMA APPEAL AT THE TIME OF DEATH?
243
If at the time of death such ignoble and impure emotions like attachment, hatred, infatuation, etc. should disappear from the mind of the dying man and if such pure emotions as amity,
Jain Education International
For Private & Personal Use Only
www.jainelibrary.org
