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THE WAY OF LIFE
5. I have a house and a shop.
6. My intelligence is strong and agile.
7. I have faith in the Paramatma".
I said to him, "Oh noble man, you have these seven great possessions. Then why do you think of death? Why do you give way to despair inspite of having all these possessions. Now, what you require is the enthusiasm to utilise these means and a firm determination to attain your objectives; above all, an absolute surrender at the feet of the Paramatma."
The gentleman was overwhelmed with joyful emotions and went away with great enthusiasm. Enthusiasm is essential to attain your ends. A heart full of exhilaration; a firm and peaceful intellect. These are necessary. These virtues are present in noble people and by means of an intimacy with them and by admiring them, you too can acquire those virtues.
Another great virtue of noble people is conformity to the family-tradition. Noble people conform to and carry on their family-traditions such as rendering help to the others and carrying out spiritual austerities for the attainment of the supreme good. Supposing in a family a certain Vrata or austerity or the tradition of providing a water-booth to people has been going on through generations, noble people do not give up those traditions. They continue them. They continue those activities as long as they have the ability and means to carry on those traditions.
In olden days, the Kuladharma or the tradition of Kshatriyas was to give protection to those who sought their refuge. This tradition was in vogue for countless generations but now-adays, we do not have such kshatriyas or such a dharma. Hospitality to guests is another noble tradition which had been in vogue through generations in some families. As long as noble people continued to appear in those families, that tradition continued. But with the absence of such noble men, the noble tradition also has come to an end. Yet if noble family-traditions are still in vogue in some families, we should admire and appreciate them.
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