The lesson of a saint. A story by Swami

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Light and Love

There was a saint by name Thiruvalluvar. Initially he was a weaver. He used

to weave just one sari per day, sell it in the bazaar and earn money for his

family. Good and bad would exist together. It would be impossible to separate

them. In the same village there was the son of a rich man who was wasting his

time wandering aimlessly. Where there is money there is ego. Ego gives rise to

many bad qualities. Once the money is lost all bad qualities too disappear. One

day the rich man's son came to Thiruvalluvar and asked for the price of the

sari. Thiruvalluvar said it cost four rupees. The boy was known for his

arrogance and pride. He picked up the sari, tore it into two pieces and asked

for the price of one piece. Thiruvalluvar replied, it cost two rupees as he had

made the sari into two halves. The boy tore it again into another piece and

asked for the price. Thiruvalluvar replied that the price was one rupee. This

brought about a transformation in the mind of the boy. He wondered how the

businessman was calm and composed even after he tore the sari into pieces. Then

the boy fell at Thiruvalluvar's feet and repented for his behavior. The boy said

due to his pride and arrogance he made this mistake. Then he went to his father,

got the required money, kept it at the feet of Thiruvalluvar. Many such great

saints lived in Tamil Nadu who set an ideal to the society. Their statues are

installed and adored. It is not their statues that are important, but their

teachings. The best way to propagate their teachings is to practice them.

(Bhagavan Sathya sai Baba. From the Divine Discourse "Devotion, Duty and

Discipline." 12 Oct 1998, Prashanti Nilayam).

 

Namaste - Reet