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DISCOURSE 4
57
But gentlemen, please do not think that Dharma is mesmerism. This is not in anyway a matter of magic. After hearing this about the efficacy of Dharma, you should not think thus: "I shall approach Dharma and entreat it thus, "I want one lakh rupees. Give me the amount. I want a beautiful wife. Kindly give me a beautiful wife. I want to go to heaven. Kindly take me there. I want Moksha. Kindly give me Moksha." If you entreat Dharma to give you such things, you will not get anything. You cannot get anything by asking for it. You cannot get what you want by merely entreating Dharma to give you those things. You can achieve them by practising Dharma or by living according to it.
Jatashankar was ill. He was alone. Who would fetch him medicine? Meanwhile, a Fakir (a mendicant) came to Jatashankar's house to beg for alms. Seeing Jatashankar's illness, the Fakir said, "Your illness will be cured if you take medicine". Having said this, the Fakir went away. Jatashankar thought, "I will be well if I take medicine, and so I have to go to a medical shop." So, he rose from his bed and went slowly to a medical shop. Folding his hands devoutly and standing before the medicines, he said, "Oh gods and goddesses of medicine, I will get well by your grace. Kindly bestow your grace upon me and cure me of my illness."
HAPPINESS CANNOT BE ATTAINED BY MERELY TALKING ABOUT DHARMA
You should not have this foolish attitude towards Dharma. Of course, you can attain all objectives by means of Dharma; but you cannot attain them by merely talking about Dharma. Now-a-days, people talk much. Discussions about Dharma have increased; but the virtue of acting according to Dharma has been decreasing. Dharma is practised but there is no right thinking about Dharma. External activities conform to Dharma; but the thoughts are sinful.
"From Dharma we can get wealth". Hearing this, what did you think? You may think that if you worship the Paramatma in the morning and that if you go out into the
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