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Q. Can such philosophical thoughts help in minimizing your
sorrow ?

A. Yes. Even if a warrior is seriously injured in war if he
emerges victorious, then his pain becomes unimportant
because the joy of victory is far more than the pain.
Similarly,

If we experience the joy of removal of karma-stains during
times of sorrow, then is there any room for grief ?
While fighting, he is ready to fight till his life’s last moment
because his mind is occupied with feelings of patriotism,
love for the king, his own duty. These thoughts do not let
him become unhappy. This shows that inspite of bearing pain
which can result in death, he does not act and think like a
coward.

This implies that inspite of being in pain, your mind can be
joyful due to some other reason or be occupied with some
responsibility, and then that sorrow automatically becomes
negligible.

Do those housewives who cook food in summer days complain
and cry ? Do those employees who get a fat salary complain
of the troubles they have to face at work ? No, because they
consider those sorrows to be meagre.
Thus, this is the real power of philosophical thinking and
contemplation – it reduces the intensity of sorrow.

Sitaji was also successful in minimizing the severity of her
problem by occupying her mind with such deep thoughts.
Hence, she did not wish to weep in front of her children and
gain sympathy from them. But, now when the reality had
already reached their ears and they had come to ask Sita, she
calmly replied…

86 Purity Purified