z:\ ambedkar\vol 011\vol11 06.indd MK SJ+YS 5 10 2013/YS 18 11 2013 462
462 DR. BABASAHEB AMBEDKAR : WRITINGS AND SPEECHES
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he is ever thinking where is there dancing ? Where is there singing ? where is there music ? where is recitation ? where are the cymbals ? where the tamtams ?
“Six are the perils for him who is infatuated with gambling : as winner he begets hatred, when beaten he mourns his lost wealth, his actual substance is wasted, his word has no weight in a court of law, he is despised by friends and officials, he is not sought after by those who would give or take in marriage, for they would say that a man who is a gambler cannot afford to keep a wife.
“Six are the perils from associating with evil companions : any gambler, any libertine, any tippler, any cheat, any swindler, any man of violence is his friend and companion.
“Six are the perils of the habit of idleness : he says it is too cold and does no work, he says it is too hot and does no work, he says it is too early or too late and does no work, he says I am too hungry and does no work, he says I am too full and does no work. And while all that he should do remains undone, new wealth he does not get, and such wealth as he has dwindles away.
“A religion to be a religion of man must teach him to know who is a true friend.
“Four are they who should be reckoned as foes in the likeness of friends ; to wit, a rapacious person, the man of words not deeds, the flatterer, and the fellow-waster.
“Of these the first is to be reckoned as a foe in the likeness of a friend: for, he is rapacious, he gives little and asks much ; he does his duty out of fear, he pursues his own interests.
“A man of words who is not a man of deeds is to be reckoned as a foe in the likeness of a friend : For, he makes a friendly profession as regards the past, he makes friendly profession as regards the future, he tries to gain your favour by empty sayings, when the opportunity for service has arisen he avows his disability.
“The flatterer is to be reckoned as a foe