Page 32 - JAIN ONLINE

wealth in keeping it elsewhere. There is a great risk in going for
big business. We may lose our capital in yielding interest. There
is a fear of thieves if we keep the wealth in our house. So let's go
and bury it in the forest”.
As much as we worry about wealth, do we think a bit of
the innate quali es of soul and spiritual prac ces? If we do so,
it would sky-rocket the spiritual advancement and boost the
bliss levels !
Laxmidas wrapped and packed the casket in a cloth bag
on his shoulder, took Bhaliya with him and set his foot towards
the forest. But his fate was not very favourable!A cunning man
followed him right from the city. Alert merchant stopped at
intervals and looked back to ensure that no one was following
him. But this man was so shrewd that the merchant didn't get
even a hint of him.
The merchant stopped in the very midst of the forest.
Even that man hid behind a tree to see, 'What is the merchant
going to do!' He already doubted from the first. Now he
understood the situa on from the forthcoming ac vity of the
merchant. The merchant looked around on all four sides with a
vigilant eye. Then he was about to dig the pit. What for? Just
because he was an ardent slave of Laxmi, it seemed like this
servant of Laxmi was sending the lost Laxmi back to her
birthplace hometown 'the earth' from where she originated!
Rich millionaires are called 'Laxmipa ' (master of Goddess
Laxmi)
Only those generous wealthy people are called such
'Laxmipa ' who offer charity and use Laxmi in a noble cause
to pacify the fire of adversi es in the lives of others. Not like
these poor misers.
Before digging the ground, the merchant thought again.
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He called his boy, “O Bhaliya! C'mon, get up idiot! Why are you
si ng over here? Check properly in all four direc ons whether
any wicked man is hidden or not! Stupid follow! You don't even
understand this! Even a er ge ng of 20 years, you are s ll
dunce like a donkey. Your brain is a big zero! C'mon stand up, go
and find out!” Just throw orders over him! Harsh command and
advice without a drop of affec on! On the other hand, the
precise care and safety of wealth is just beyond imagina on! Is
this the cleverness in human life? If one has such a safe sense
for wealth and no wisdom of soul then is he not a stupid fellow?
Is he not dunce like a donkey?
Now that wicked man hidden behind the tree got afraid!
‘What to do? If I flee away, they'll see me. If I just stand over
here, Bhaliya'll eventually come over here and see me. Even If I
try to climb over the tree, then I will get in their eyes, then what
should I do?' The thief got lost in thoughts. He thrilled in
excitement as an idea sparked to him. 'Anyway, this is a fluke.
Let me try. I'll get over and fool poor Bhaliya!' Look at the power
of intelligence. Should the intelligence be used in such
blemished acts? To play nasty tricks? Should this be done even
here?
Before father completed his instruc on to his son, this
wicked man began his evil experiment. He slept flat seeming
like a corpse. Following the command of his father, Bhaliya was
on a search in all the four direc ons and eventually came over
here. He thought in his mind, 'Who is sleeping over here?'
When he saw properly, he felt, 'Sleeping haphazardly. The
hands are helter-skelter. One leg is crooked, another straight'.
Poor Bhaliya was u erly innocent, unaware of the wicked
world. He simply imagined,'It seems like some man has fallen
from the tree and has died and there is no fear from a dead
Piteous Outcome of Greed 63