Way of Life Part 3

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

Page 90

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THE WAY OF LIFE
too much. She will sit on your head and rule over you. Always find fault with her; and speak of her faults. You must also advise your son not to be fascinated by the beauty and appearance of the girl. I say all this for your own good. I have seen such daughters-in-law in other families. They are good in the beginning; but step by step, they acquire control over the house and become haughty and arrogant; and begin to rule over the house arbitrarily."
The head-master's wife felt that the neighbour's words were true. From that day onwards, she began scolding her daughter-in-law for everything. She spoke sternly even to her humble and obedient 'son. She began saying to her son : "You should not take your wife thus for a walk. It is against our family tradition. Every day, you bring new clothes to your wife. Should you not give money to us for domestic expenses ?" In the beginning, the young man acted according to his mother's suggestions; but sometime later, he began to retort and to challenge her suggestions. Quarrels took place every day in the house. And one day, the young man left the house with his wife to live separately.
That neighbour went further and carried tales to the headmaster against his wife. The neighbour said to the head-master secretly, "Look here! Your wife should not have treated her daughter-in-law thus. What a good girl she is! I used to see how she conducted herself in your family. Poor creature ! Throughout the day, she used to keep doing domestic work. She never breathed a word of complaint. She never muttered or murmured about the ill-treatment given to her". This brought about tensions and quarrels between the head-master and his wife. This gave great delight to the neighbour. The neighbour also succeeded in separating the sons from the parents. At last, the head-master and his wife had to live experiencing great difficulties in their old age, without anyone to take care of them.
ANOTHER REAL INCIDENT : (2)
There lived a family in Bombay. The family comprised the husband, the wife and their son, aged about seven years. The