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THE WAY OF LIFE
mind of a gambler can never be absorbed in any spiritual activity. A gambler is disliked by the members of his family because he never cares for their welfare. If you know any gambler, you would have noticed that at sometime or the other, he would have fallen into adversities and perplexities.
THE STORY OF CHANDULAL, THE GAMBLER
I heard this story when I was a boy. Chandulal was a distant relative of ours. He was a gambler. In the beginning by gambling he was earning a little money. When he gave that money to his wife she used to be delighted and she never tried to prevent him from gambling. How can a woman who loves money prevent her husband from earning money by immoral methods ? Chandulal's wife did not prevent him from gambling. In course of time, Chandulal became an addict to gambling. He used to go to the gambling den and remain there throughout the night. Other gamblers became his friends. Within three years, he earned one lakh rupees. He liked gambling. Of course, some relatives and friends advised him to give up gambling but he was not the kind of man who would listen to such advice.
Gambling is a dreadful habit. When a Dharmatma like Yudhishtir himself was addicted to this evil habit, why speak of Chandulal's capacity to resist its temptation ? As long as a gambler keeps winning, he will not give up gambling. Even this is a kind of intoxication. A man who is reduced to smithereens by intoxication cannot be made to realise his folly by means of mere advice or words. He can be made to realise his folly only by means of the rod. In other words, he can recover his senses only when he is beaten black and blue. Only by means of beating, an intoxicated man can be brought to his senses. Nature herself dealt the heaviest of strokes to Chandulal.
THE YUDHISTIR OF KALIYUG
Now, Chandulal began to lose money. As he went on losing, he continued to stake larger and larger amounts with the result that he lost thousands of rupees. He became highly irritable and deeply agitated. He began to beat his wife often. His rela
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