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DISCOURSE 89
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other way now carefully he would walk on that path placing his steps cautiously to avoid thorns from sticking to his feet ?
In the same manner, if a man is compelled by circumstances to walk on the path of immorality, he must have the thoughtfulness and awareness to see that he does not become habi: tuated to that path and that he does not ignore or forget that path of morality.
If a man has a strong will-power, he will not take recourse to immoral methods under any circumstances. A man of courage and determination will not stray even a step from the path of morality but such people have only the barest minimum of wants. Their domestic necessities also are limited and they are free from the thirst of avarice. They make this determination, "We shall not enjoy any happiness that accrues from immorality".
THE HONESTY OF AN UNEDUCATED WOMAN
There is a small town called Phalodi in Rajasthan. A very interesting event took place in 1965 when we were spending our chaturmas there. In a compound adjacent to the Upashraya in which we were staying the Ayambil Bhavan was situated. During the chaturmas many men and women carried out the austerity of Ayambil. (During this austerity people have to eat the food that is devoid of any special taste or spicy flavour.) One day at about two O'clock in the afternoon the maid-servant in the Ayambil Bhavan came to me and placed before me a gold necklace weighing two hundred grams. She said, “Maharaj sahib ! Someone who had come to perform the Ayambil has gone away leaving this necklace in the Ayambilshala....I found it there and I have brought it to you.... I of course, believe that wealth obtained immorally is equal to clay. Please return it to the owner". I kept looking at the servant-maid. My heart was overwhelmed with joyful emotions.
The servant-maid was a poor woman but she had no greed for wealth; otherwise she would not have brought to me that costly necklace of two hundred grams of gold. The owner of
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