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THE WAY OF LIFE
sibility of taking care of some people. If such elders having such responsibility adopt sincerely this attitude of neutrality and try to discharge their responsibilities, they will not become victims of mental worry and agitation. They will not also treat others with contempt.
I have seen such elders as do not have the attitude of neutrality, experiencing inordinate agitation and worry. When things do not take place according to their wishes and when things take place contrary to their wishes, they get terribly angry with those who are in their care and protection, but who act contrary to their wishes defying them. They speak to those people who are in their protection words which ought not be uttered. They keep harming them and treating them with contempt. The consequence is that their desire to reform others disappears from their minds and then they will get this wrong idea into their minds, “This fellow will never reform himself”.
AN INCIDENT FROM THE LIFE OF THE GREAT POET, BHARAVI
Once there was a great Sanskrit poet by name Bharavi. Here is an interesting episode that took place in his youth. Bharavi's father was Trilochan and his mother's name was Bhagavathi. Bharavi was a great scholar as well as a genius. But he was very egoistic and proud of his erudition and his intelligence. He would have become a great man if he had humility along with his erudition and intelligence. His father, Trilochan also was a profound scholar and a man of outstanding intelligence and wisdom. "Giving advice and precepts to a proud young man will however prove harmful”, Trilochan knew this very well. In fact, he had a bitter experience of that kind also. Therefore, he did not like to give any advice or precepts to Bharavi. He used to regard with a feeling neutrality even his actions prompted by pride.
One day, a proclamation was made, "If there is any scholar who has the capacity to argue with and to defeat a scholar who has come from another kingdom, he may kindly come to the king's court.” On hearing this proclamation, Bharavi went
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