Way of Life Part 3

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

Page 95

DISCOURSE 54
Only one woman lived in that bungalow; and she was the owner of the bungalow. There was a servant-maid. She stayed in the bungalow during day-time doing the domestic chores; and in the evenings, she went home. The woman who was the owner of the bungalow thought. "It would be good if I can find some good tenant for my bungalow". She spoke of her idea to some relatives of hers. She found a family; and let her bungalow to that family. It was a decent family. It comprised the husband, the wife and three children. The children were not naughty or mischievous. They were also decent and well-behaved. The family rented the first floor of the house. The woman also found decent companions; and the family which was in want of a house found a decent residence. All the members of that family were decent and cultured, in respect of character and behaviour so they were like the members of the owner's family.
The owner was aged about 40 years. She had the misfortune of becoming a widow at the age of 35. She had property and wealth worth ten lakhs. She was very beautiful and she was also very elegant and winsome in her speech and movements. Let us call the tenant by the fictitious name Charubhai and his wife by the fictitious name Bhanu. Whenever Bhanu went to her mother's house, on a visit, the owner of the house would invite Charubhai to have food with her. He too used to do some work to help the woman. He used to go to the bank to get her money or to deposit money. He also did shopping for her bringing whatever she wanted. Gradually, their relationship became intimate. Whenever Bhanu went away to her mother's place and when the children had gone to school, Charubhai and the woman enjoyed the pleasures of their illicit intimacy. This went on for some time.
The story had gone too far by the time Bhanu came to know of the matter. Quarrels took place between the husband and wife. Charubhai began to beat his wife whenever she objected to his intimacy with that woman. He also threatened to divorce Bhanu. The owner had caught Charubhai in the snares of passion and fascination so strongly that he was ready to desert his wife; but not her. At this point, a friend of Charubhai acted