Way of Life Part 4

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

Page 21

DISCOURSE 73
jivas cannot even know when the punyodaya ends and when the papodaya begins. Therefore, people should not set much store by punyodaya. We should not rely too much on punyodaya or karmas.
Ded relied too much upon his punyodaya. He thought, "Now, my sorrows have disappeared. I have become happy”. He did not realise that time and place keep changing. The time of adversity ended in Ded's life. The time of prosperity appeared. But he became prosperous suddenly and unexpectedly; did he not? The source of his prosperity was also unknown. Therefore, the people of the city began to view him with suspicion. Ded did not inform anyone that he had acquired the miraculous power of Suvarnasiddhi. It was not necessary for him to do so.
A CALAMITY APPEARED
There are some people in this world, who feel jealous of others. Some jealous people went to the king and informed him, “Your Highness ! There is a merchant in our city, by name, Ded. We think that he has found some secret treasure”.
The king did not know Ded but as soon as he heard this about Ded, he sent four officers to search for Ded and to spy on him. The king thought that if anyone in his country found a secret treasure, he was the real owner of the treasure because he was the king. It was very difficult for him to get rid of the attraction of wealth.
HOW DOES A KING BECOME POPULAR AMONG HIS PEOPLE ?
Those people who are in power think thus. “We can seize the wealth that even belongs to others". Love for the people is very scant in kings or those in power. Very few men of power love people. We come across in history the names of some kings who felt happy when they saw wealthy people in their kingdoms. One day, Siddharaj, the king of Gujarat happened to be going on a public road in his city. It was evening. He noticed a large number of lights burning bright on the mansion of