Page 132 - Courage Redifined

Someone may ask, “Can this delight be felt in an unconscious
state ?” Yes, because since eternity the soul has been attracted
towards the opposite sex. This attraction takes its effect in an
unconscious state also.

Incident of Shasak-Bhasak’s sister Sadhvi* :

In our Scriptures there is a noteworthy incident of Shasak-
Bhasak’s sister who was a sadhvi (Jain nun). She was extremely
beautiful and whenever she would go out on the city streets,
young men would follow her. With a strong desire to catch
a glimpse of her, they would wait outside the upashraya too.
Hence her two brother sadhus who were ferocious warriors at
one time, would stand outside the upashraya to protect her.

The sadhvi thought, “How I hate my beauty which traps
innocent and foolish people in it! Also, my brother saints have
to forsake their penance and studies in order to protect me.
Instead it is better that I accept Anshan and shorten my life
which will eliminate all these problems” After having such
thoughts of regret for many days, the sadhvi finally accepted
lifetime Anshan.

Due to the fact that innocent and foolish people are fascinated
and crazy behind beauty, women use this beauty as an asset to
trap the innocent men. Just as a spider weaves a web and traps
innocent flies, or a bird hunter who spreads a net alongwith
food grains to catch the birds, a beautiful woman also uses
her beauty as a weapon to trap the innocent ones. The pure-
hearted sadhvi contempted this very beauty and accepted
Anshan to get rid of it. Where do these seductive women of
today stand and where does this pure-hearted sadhvi stand ?

All the attractive beauty, wealth, food and clothes in this
outer world are dreadful because they make one lose the
* Sadhvi - Jain nuns

122 Courage Redefined