Education for Bliss & Development: 29 ►The Coordination Of Knowledge And Modesty

There are 2 criteria of the man's life: Shrutsampannata and sheelasampannata. In simple words it can be said knowledge and conduct. In a general way there is nobody, who is deprived of both knowledge and modesty. There is a little impact of it in every person's life. But it is not visible as it is very less in nature. If any of the elements are not visible then also its power can't be challenged. But the rendering of any element is based on primary and secondary. When knowledge and modesty are present in subsidiary forms then the life doesn't go in right direction.

The Completeness is in Combination of Two

Which has the more value in life, knowledge or modesty? This question indicates that the knowledge and modesty can be categorized as more or less same. In my opinion blank knowledge and blank modesty can't be helpful in achieving the goals of life. The God has only made the knowledgeable or modest the devotee of the country in the path of salvation. The complete devotees are those people who are filled with knowledge and modesty. The person who does not have knowledge and modesty are completely protester of salvation path. Concluding at the end it can be said that the completeness can't be there in disintegrated consciousness. To reach the point of completeness in life the sum of these two things are required.

Knowledgeably acceptance of Anuvrat and Mahavratas are the reported steps taken towards the completeness. Becoming a mere devotee monk only can't say that there is a monolithic worship of knowledge and modesty, believing this also is a casuistic approach. Their energy is in the right direction. They have started to endeavour to achieve the integrity. The time and labour are essential to reach the final point. The success can be achieved by proper planning only.

Intelligence is Essential for Theft

As per some people high quality of conduct is required for a better future. What is the expectation of knowledge with it? The use of knowledge is with every character. Undesirable thing like robbery is also not successful without knowledge. By the use of intelligence only the thief can reach his destination without any danger and can return safely. It is said that -

Bina Kant ko gavano, Bina akal ko chor.
Bina Kanth ki Kamani, teenun laapalor.

2 thieves went for robbery. They reached an old woman's house. The old woman was snoring. The thieves looked here and there. They didn't find anything. They entered in the kitchen. Flour, sugar, ghee, water etc were kept there. The thieves were very hungry. They forget to do the robbery and started preparing the halva (pudding). The halva was ready. They started to eat the halva. The old woman was sleeping near them on cot. The old woman's hand was opened and pointing towards the thieves. By seeing at her one thief said that the old woman is asking for the halva. A little bit of halva should be given to her. The second thief agreed to his partner. They put the halva in a small bowl and put it on the old woman's hand. The old lady's hand got burnt. She shouted very loudly in her sleep. By listening to the woman's scream the two thieves became afraid. They stood up. One thief hid under the old woman's cot. The thief who put the halva on the old woman's hand, hid at a specific height. The two thieves kept their breath low and were alert towards the next action. The neighbours of the old woman were attracted by her loud voice. They came running. The old woman got up and started looking at the halva which was on her hand.

The neighbours arrived and asked the old woman - "What happened?" She replied - "I don't know anything, the God knows." When she spoke those sentence 2-3 times, the thief who was sitting at the height got irritated. He thought in his mind - I am the one who gave her halva and she only wants me to be killed. Why shall I die alone? My partner is also here. By thinking in his mind he suddenly said - "Why only the person sitting above knows, the person who is down also knows everything". The neighbours of the old woman saw up and down. They saw the two thieves hiding. They were caught. How fools were they? Neither did they perform the robbery nor did they eat the halva or run away. It is well said that without intelligence even the robbery can't be done.

Thought is More Valuable than Study

Some people have knowledge, but they don't know how to use it properly. These kinds of people are educated, but they don't have the ability to think. One engineer went out with his family on a bullock cart. There was a river on their way. The flow of the water in the river was not same everywhere. The carter stopped the bullock cart. The engineer stepped down and said-'No one should panic. I would inform you all after arranging everything.'
Engineer took a stick in his one hand and measured the water level at the bank and middle of the river. Somewhere there was very little water, somewhere little bit more water and somewhere there was a span of water. Engineer measured the water from all the sides, took the average and encouraged everyone by saying - 'There is not much water. The bullock cart can run easily/

The carter drove the bullock cart in the river on the saying of the engineer. After some distance it started sinking in the deep water. The children started shouting. The carter said -'I told you earlier that the water is deep, the bullock cart can't go.' By listening to this the engineer lost in a deep thought. He said - "Let me see my measured papers and tell you where the mistake was?" He saw all his papers. Everything was correct. But the bullock cart kept sinking. He said while leaving his breath -

Lekha-Jokha jyon ka tyon,
Fir bhi kunba dooba toh kyon?

The educated engineer knew how to measure the ratio. But he didn't know that to save the bullock cart taking the ratio was not required, but avoiding the deep water area is expected. From this point of view this phrase became popular - Bhanyo hai par gunyo koni. Study, thought and execution - By combining these three things a person can save his life from the upcoming obstacles.

When the Fence Starts Eating the Farm

The monks are the protectors of our civilization. They are not only Sheelsampanna; they are the sources of the unbeatable knowledge. They themselves are in trance but solve problems of numbers of people. The small story of Raja Saudas indicates this phrase.

The King Saudas ruled in the Ayodhya Nagari. As per the cultural tradition, during 8 days of Paryushan Parva, hunting and eating non-vegetarian was prohibited. By following the traditions, King Saudas "amaari padhah" - he announced not to kill any of the animals. After this announcement also the hunt of animals were continued in the nearby jungles. The premier minister got to know about this. He started the investigation. He got to know that there was the cooking of flesh in King Saudas' food. The premier minister went to the King and said - 'Highness, flesh is prohibited in the Ashtaahvik festival. But you are breaking the rules of it. When the fence itself starts eating the farm then who will save it?'

Habit of Helplessness

When the king listened to the premier minister's words then he felt embarrassed. He accepted his mistake and he made sure to the premier minister that this mistake will not happen in future. The premier minister was tension free. To maintain the system, the armed police were appointed in and out of the city. The hunt of the animals was stopped. The vegetarian food was offered in the King's meal. He ate the food but he didn't get the satisfaction. He called the chef and said - "This normal meal will not be entertained. There should be meat in the meal." The chef said - "Highness! I can't do anything. Premier Minister has appointed the armed guards." King said - "Whatever you wish, you will surely get it. Anyhow arrange the flesh."

The chef went out of the town. But he was unsuccessful in hunting of animals. When he was returning, he took out a small dead child who was buried inside the soil and fried his flesh and offered in king's plate. That day the king liked the food a lot. The king asked the chef - "From where did you get this wonderful flesh." The chef told everything. The king said - "Today I got to know that how delicious the flesh of a human being could be, I have got this experience first time. From today onwards you will bring this kind of flesh only."

From where can one get the dead child every day? Day by day the chef was getting greedier and started kidnapping the children one by one. The whole city was in panic. The premier minister got the complaints daily. To overcome the situation, minister decided to take the necessary actions. At night when the king and queen both slept after having a dinner of flesh and wine, due to consumption of alcohol they were unconscious. Then at that time their bed was dropped out of the state's boundary in a jungle.

The Sinking Boat Came to the Bank of the River

In the morning, the effect of wine became weak. The king woke up. By seeing himself in mid forest he realized the situation. Even the queen understood everything. They were worried about their future. At the same time they saw a monk performing a meditation at some distance. They went towards him and said -

Taaro Gurudev! Taaro Daya Dristhi Dekh Taaro.
Doobati Naiya Ne Abai Dikhayo Kinaaro.

By hearing the king's words filled with mercy and devoutness the monk looked upon the king. The king told him his whole story. The monk suggested them to leave all their bad habits. The conscience of the king changed. He left all the bad habits forever. The king's boat of life was sinking in the midstream. With the help of the monk, his boat of life came to the bank.

After leaving all the bad habits post the monk's suggestion, he started to live in the adjacent Mahapur province. The destiny started changing. Saudas became the king of that province. He attacked Ayodhya and conquered it. After this victory, he handed over both the provinces Mahapur and Ayodhya to his son and accepted Muni-Deeksha.

This event is equally conducive and thrilling. The overall accurate summary of this is that accepting the shelter of knowledgeable, modest and saintly helps in getting success. Honouring the values of Anekantvad by Jain philosophy can't give importance to the lifestyles based only on knowledge or modesty. Those who have faith in Jain religion are expected to worship the combination of knowledge and modesty and become the complete devotee of the path of salvation.