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THE WAY OF LIFE
very important. Some have to be carried out at once; while some cannot be left undone. Noble people have the intelligence to realise which activities are of primary importance and which are of subsidiary importance. By virtue of intelligence and discretion, they succeed in their objectives.
When we have to carry out many activities it depends upon our discretion to decide the importance of any activity or to decide which activity should be carried out first.
AN EXAMPLE FROM SHRI RAM'S LIFE REGARDING THE PRIORITY TO BE GIVEN TO A CERTAIN ACTIVITY
In the days of the story of the Jain Ramayana, an event took place on the island called Vanaradweep. Sugriva was the ruler of Vanaradweep. Tara was Sugriva's queen-consort. Sahasagati, the son of a Vidhyadhar desired to marry princess Tara. When Tara married Sugriva, Sahasagati began to consider Sugriva as his enemy. Sugriva, was stronger than Sahasagati, therefore, he could not abduct Tara; but yet, he had a great attachment for Tara. He had a strong desire to secure Tara somehow or the other. He did not possess the ability to fight openly against Sugriva. So, he decided to attain supernatural powers. He went to a cave in the Himalayas and sat in it and he began to make endeavours to attain the supernatural power called Pratharini. After sometime, he attained this power. He began to sway and dance with exhilaration. Ignorant people imagine that they have attained everything when they have achieved success in one or two things. They do not realise the malignity of karmas and they may fail at the last moment. Sahasagati felt that he could easily take possession of Tara by means of the power called Pratharini and he went to Vanaradweep. He assumed the guise of Sugriva. Pratharini means to assume the desired disguise; and he had attained that power. He in the guise of Sugriva went into the garden in Kishkinda, the capital of Sugriva. He found that Sugriva had gone to sport in the outer parts of the garden and he decided to make use of this opportunity. He entered the city. The guards of the city thought that he was Sugriva. He straight went into the palace. Even the guards at the palace saluted him with bowed heads and allowed
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