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DISCOURSE 41
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When Shripal grew up into a young man, his whole body was afflicted with leprosy. Those friends made him their King and began wandering from place to place. As soon as Shripal was cured of his leprosy, he thought of getting his friends also cured of the dreadful disease. He told Mayanasundari about it. Mayanasundari remembered with devotion, Shri Siddhachakraji and after due meditation and prayer, she sprinkled the waters of oblation over the seven hundred lepers and, at once, they were cured of the disease, just as Shripal had been cured of his leprosy when that holy water was sprinkled upon him.
We learn two great lessons from this story; one is that Shripal showed compassion and gratitude to those who were in distress and despair and the other is that we should not forget the benefactions bestowed upon us by our benefactors and that we should with self-effacing gratitude do something in return for their benefactions. This is the third virtue of noble people and this is also a noble action of cultured people. You should carefully watch for an opportunity and when such an opportunity arises, you should render some help to your benefactors in return for their benefactions.
Shripal was cured of his disease. He secured a beautiful and virtuous wife and he also secured a King as his father-in-law. He secured the esteem of people but yet he did not forget his mother. He was full of devotion, adoration and affection for his mother. How many adversities had his mother endured for his sake! Even this, Shripal had not forgotten. When unexpectedly Shripal met his mother at the door of the temple, he fell at her feet. Of course, the mother at first could not recognise her son because she had seen Shripal as a leper and her son who stood before her now was radiant and charming like the god of love.
Shripal was overwhelmed with joyful emotions. When the mother recognised her son, she too was overwhelmed with intense joy. She said with a voice shaken by emotion, "Dear child, I have been wandering about looking for some medicine to cure you of leprosy and now you are absolutely free from that dreaded disease! Son, how did this happen ?".
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