" He who can put up with disasters, or take no heed of them, and who never loses his head in difficulties, — such a man is worthy of all commendation."
Story XIX
In a city called Karala lived a certain Sodhâka, a man of great importance in the town. His wife Santikâ was very much devoted to him. There was also a merchant in the same town whose wife Svachchhandâ was frivolous and ill-conducted. She was always trying to attract Sodhâka's attention, but he never took the slightest notice of her. One day he went to pay his respects to a holy man called Manoratha and Svachchhandâ followed him into the house.
It has been well said —
" A man has power over himself only so long as he continues in the path of virtue; so long as he keeps his senses in subjection; so long as he behaves discreetly. So long, the glances of lovely damsels shot forth from the bows of their arching eyebrows, may fall on him, but they will not destroy his peace of mind."
The police seeing Svachchhanda's manœuvres
