Chapter 14 employs several analogies to highlight the feeling of emptiness in Ratanji's life despite his wealth. His situation, lacking a son, is compared to things that are beautiful or valuable only when they possess an essential quality. The text asks, "What is the beauty of..." Hari-kirtan without love, singing without rhythm, or a Brahmin without the sacred thread? It further draws parallels to a person skilled in arts but lacking discernment, or someone with religious markings who slanders saints. Finally, it likens his predicament to a pilgrimage without repentance or jewelry without a necklace, powerfully illustrating that a household without a son was seen as incomplete, which was the source of his deep sorrow.
The text uses several analogies to explain why Ratanji's life felt incomplete. What were some of these comparisons?
π Chapter 14