Way of Life Part 3

Author(s): Bhadraguptasuri
Publisher: Vishvakalyan Prakashan Trust Mehsana

Page 25

DISCOURSE 49
of his. It was rendering every kind of service that the Seth commanded it to do. When once, it had no work to do, it said to the Seth, "Give me some work to do; otherwise I will eat you". It was a maddened spirit. A person who is thus maddened speaks to others in a harsh and bitter manner. Such people do not honour others. Yes.' Sometimes when some unavoidable situations arise, they may speak politely; but that is a different matter. But that spirit was a god. It gave a warning to the Seth, "Give me work to do; otherwise, I will swallow you”.
The Seth was at first frightened. But soon he grew calm. There stood the spirit before him. If he got merely frightened, he would not be able to find a way of escaping from the danger of being eaten by it. Fear paralyses the intelligence. The Seth thought calmly about it; and he thought of a plan. He was very happy. He looked towards the spirit. The spirit said, “Will you give me some task ?"
The Seth said to it, “Make a beam of wood fifty feet long and bring it".
The ghost accordingly brought such a beam of wood.
The Seth said, "Go to that ground nearby. Dig a pit in the middle of the ground and make it stand there."
The ghost erected the pillar in the middle of the ground, in a few seconds.
The Seth said, “Now, until I give you any other task, keep climbing the pillar; and descending from it. From now onwards this will be your task.”
The spirit's face fell. It was a sight to see! How intelligently did the Seth put the spirit in a trap! In the same manner, in this world, proud and haughty people come to grief. Have you not heard of people who are proud of their strength being murdered by someone? Those who are proud of their intelligence, when an occasion arises, have only shown their intellectual bankruptcy. Those who are proud of their beauty become ugly on account of diseases and no one even likes to have a look at them.