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Srimad Bhãgavatam:11:7:24-47

13. THE ELEPHANT

A sanyãsi should not touch, even with his toes, a woman's figure; even if it were just a wooden doll. If he does it will bring about his downfall just like the male elephant, lured by the sight of a female elephant falls into the trap set by man.

14. THE DEER

A Sanyãsi should not listen to music set to please the senses. It will entangle him in maya and bring about his downfall just as a deer, tempted by the hunter's music, gets caught in the hunter's net.

15. THE FISH

Fish is baited with the worm. Its end comes about because of its taste for the worms. Likewise, a man's destruction also comes about by his sense of taste. This is one sense that is very difficult to conquer. Even when one goes on fast, as tapas, other senses are conquered faster but this one sense of taste. Even when one goes on fast this sense of taste alone grows stronger! So long as one has not conquered his sense of taste one does not become 'jitendriyan' even if has succeeded in conquering the other senses. So, success over his sense of taste is success over all the other senses.

16. PINGALA, A PROSTITUTE

Pingala was a dancing girl in the country named Videha. She was a courtesan who made a living out of it. One night she dressed herself up with great care as her ‘profession’ demands. As was her custom, with a desire to tempt some men, she stood at the door-step looking at the passers-by. She wanted money and so she was set on finding a rich man who would look at her and come into her house to please himself. She waited a long time but none turned up. She spent the whole night walking in and out of the house. Pingala's face was drawn with disappointment and her eyes were filled with tears of anger and frustration.

Suddenly, she became disgusted and noble thoughts came to her mind. She said, "The person who has not realised the Atman is fit for nothing. He will never be able to shed the love that he has for possessions like wife, wealth, children and so on. He will not be able to give up the love he has for his own body. Look at me! I have never been able to control the course of my mind in the wrong path. In my desire to enjoy the pleasures of the body I have forsaken the Lord and I have become foolish. Inside me is the Lord who will ever be mine and will grant me liberation (‘moksha’). But I have been blind and deaf. All these days, I have been going in search of that happiness that lasts but for a moment and is accompanied by pain, sadness and misery. I have abandoned the Lord. This body is like a house built with loosely tied bamboo sticks and covered by thin skin. It is made of blood, water and bones. To gratify this body, I have lost sight of the Lord who still has the mercy to live inside this disgusting shell."

"I will not be foolish anymore. My eyes have been opened now; it is indeed proof that the Lord has not forgotten me though I have forgotten him. The troubles I have had are but blessings or else I would never have come back to the right path so soon."

And so, Pingala abandoned all her desires and went to bed deciding that she would think of the Lord and no one else. Like her, one should give up thoughts on worldly things and set one's mind on the Lord. This is the way to gain peace.

17. KURARAI

I learnt the lesson that man suffers untold misery due to his fondness for any object in possession. He enjoys peace and happiness when he gives it up. This I learnt from the bird ‘kurari’. It held a piece of meat in its beak. The other bigger birds pecked at it. The ‘Kurari’ still held on to the meat piece suffering the harassment by the other birds. But unable to bear it any further it left its hold on the meat and immediately the other birds stopped harassing it. The carefree ‘Kurari’ went on its way. I am happy because neither praise nor abuse affects me. I have no family to demand my affection. I am not bound by any earthly bondage and hence am happy and peaceful.

To be continued……….

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