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DISCOURSE 94
291
This is intelligence. Intelligence is useful in times of calamity. By means of intelligence, one can find a way out of one's difficulty but if at a time of calamity, man becomes terrified and immersed in worry, his intelligence will not function properly. He may do something but he will commit mistakes.
Night fell. The drama began in the village. All the women of the village gathered in front of the stage to see the drama. Vankachul's sister put on her brother's dress and went to the drama with her sister-in-law. All the robbers of the gang thought that Vankachul himself had come there. The pleasure of the robbers was spoilt; and their plans failed, “Vankachul” gave the actors some money as a gift; then the two returned home and slept on the same mat. The robbers soon left the village.
Vankachul returned home at midnight. He saw his wife lying by the side of some other man. He did not know that it was his sister in disguise. It was dark in the house. He could not see clearly. Vankachul was terribly angry with his wife. At once, he took out his sword. When he lifted his sword to cut them off, he remembered his vow. At once, he moved back seven steps. His sword touched the roof of his house making a noise. Hearing the noise, his sister woke up; and said, "Brother ! have you come ?” Saying this, she stood up. Vankachul stood stupefied to see his sister in the dress of a man. His sword fell on the ground. Vankachul was about to ask her, why she had put on that dress but before that she told him the entire story. Meanwhile, his wife also woke up.
Vankachul said nothing. He closed his eyes and remembered the Gurudev forgetting himself. These words resounded in his mind, "Gurudev, you have saved me from a great sin. If I had not taken that vow, now I should have committed the sin of killing my wife and sister". Tears began to flow from his eyes.
He saw thus a visual proof of the result of carrying out a vow. His determination to carry out vows became stronger. "By acting according to Dharma one can attain happiness". His faith in this principle. became stronger. He remembered the words of the Gurudev, “Noble man, Dharma bestows upon you
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