Way of Life Part 3

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

Page 49

DISCOURSE 51
YOU MUST HAVE THE SENSE TO REALIZE WHAT IS TO BE SAVED; AND WHAT IS TO BE LEFT.
In case, some disturbance breaks out suddenly, you must have the capacity to decide quickly what is to be saved and what is to be left. At such a time, you must take a quick decision. If you do not take a quick decision you may have to face death. A calamity may descend upon the whole family.
37
Some years ago in Madras and in the surrounding areas violent conflicts arose between some classes. The people of that area, it would appear, were angry with the Marwari merchants. Some shops belonging to the Marwari merchants also were burnt. At that time, those Marwari merchants who realized the nature of the situation left that place with their families and went away to their native places in Rajasthan. They brought their families and wealth to Rajasthan and settled down there for sometime. One such merchant met me in Bombay. He said to me, "We do not know when we have to leave Madras. Therefore, we have kept in Madras only so much as can be carried in a suit-case when we rush to the airport or to the harbour to come away to Bombay and Jaipur. We have no worry about our families. They are safe in Rajasthan".
But I could see that he was not interested in performing any spiritual activities but that he was interested in earning money. He was deeply desirous of amassing wealth.
The Marwari merchants have gone to the south or to Assam or Bengal only to carn money somehow; and in those places disturbances will occur at some time or the other. As long as people in those areas were illiterate and the government was indifferent, those merchants continued to exploit the people. They were charging high rates of interest. They were taking undue advantage of the illiteracy and ignorance of the people. But now, in most areas in India, illiteracy has been dispelled and education has been making a headway; and the people of those areas have become aware of the way of business. Some day, there will be a revolt against such merchants and in consequence their endeavours relating to Artha (acquiring wealth); Kamą