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THE WAY OF LIFE
use them; but they should give them to the young ones in the family. Whether they are garments or decorations or whether they are delicacies they should be given to the children first and parents should not use them.
MOTHER BHADRADEVI'S THRILLING LOVE
Here is a very interesting incident that took place in the time of Shraman Bhagwan Mahavir. A certain merchant dealing in decorated woollen blankets came to the city of Rajgrihi, on business. Rajgrihi was the capital of the Magadh empire. At that time, Shrenik was the King of Magadha. The merchant came to the King carrying some expensive woollen blankets. The King saw the woollen blankets and the merchant explained to the King the speciality of the blankets. The blankets were such that they gave warmth in winter and coolness in summer. The woollen blankets functioned like heaters and coolers. The King, of course, liked the blankets but on hearing the price mentioned by the merchant, the King decided not buy them. He demanded one lakh rupees for each blanket. When the King refused to buy the blankets, the merchant went out of the palace disappointed. He was walking along the public road. At that time, Bhadra, the mother of Shalibhadra, who was very affluent, saw from the verandah of her bungalow the merchant passing along the road.
"Why is that merchant going away disappointed ?" Bhadra thought; and sent her servant-maid to call in the merchant. The merchant came to the bungalow. Mother Bhadra asked him, "You seem to be a merchant from a distant place. What articles are you selling? Why are you going away disappointed ?"
The merchant told her all that had happened. Bhadra asked him, "How many blankets do you have ?” The merchant replied, "I have sixteen blankets”. “I need thirty two blankets because I have 32 daughters-in-law. Now, I will give you sixteen lakhs and buy these. I need sixteen more”, Bhadra said.
The merchant was stupefied to hear this. He thought : "The King himself could not buy one blanket but a woman has
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