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170
THE WAY OF LIFE
activities, you too will become popular. ple that can bring wealth to your doors. larity and prestige unbroken; never lose it.
Understand this point well. You desire wealth; do you not? You desire prosperity; do you not? You engage yourselves in improper activities to attain those ends; do you not? Now, discard your improper activities and endeavour to attain popularity. Earn the esteem of people; earn their confidence and faith....then you see whether you can attain prosperity or not.
Popularity is a princiMaintain your popu
POPULARITY BRINGS PROSPERITY
A certain gentleman narrated this story to me, a few days ago. A certain young man came from Gujarat to Bombay in search of an employment. On coming to Bombay, he was staying in the house of a friend and within a few days, he endeared himself to all the members of the family by his good nature. The friend secured for him a job in the share-market. He secured the job in the establishment of a merchant who was a follower of the Vaishnava Dharma. In the office, the young man conducted himself so excellently that he became popular among all the people there within a fortnight. He was doing his duty with such honesty and conscientiousness that very soon, he became the most trusted worker in the establishment. The merchant reposed in him the greatest confidence and trust. That young man was a Jain. He was not eating food in the night. He did not even drink water in the night. Before sunset, every day sitting in some place in the office itself, he used to recite the Navakar mantra and drink some water. The merchant came to know that the young man was not eating food in the evenings and in spite of being hungry, he would work in the evenings. Soon he sent for the young man and said to him, "Every day at 5 p.m. you must stop working; you must take leave and eat your food". The young man said to the merchant, "I cannot finish my work in the office before five o'clock. How can away leaving my work half-finished? Sir, you need not worry. I do not have the habit of eating food in the evenings. I will go home only after completing my work in the office".
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