Parables of Rama
by Swami Rama Tirtha | 102,836 words
Stories in English used by Swami Rama to illustrate the highest teaching of Vedanta. The most difficult and intricate problems of philosophy and abstract truths, which may very well tax the brains of the most intellectual, are thus made not only simple and easy to understand but also brought home to us in a concrete form in such an interesting and ...
Story 252 - The story of a self-realized ascetic
There was a young ascetic who used to go out every day to beg alms. One day he went towards the mansion of a rich man. The lady of the house saw the charming face of this young ascetic and got enamored of his attractive personality. She came down and, while offering alms to him, said that his eyes were really very bewitching. The Sadhu (hermit) took the offering, but did not use it. He threw it into the river. The next day, the sadhu took out his both the eyeballs with the help of a knife, put them in a handkerchief and somehow went tottering to the mansion of the lady with the help of a stick. The lady wanted to take him to the inside of the house. But when she approached him, the sadhu handed over to her the handkerchief, containing his eyeballs, and said, 'Madam you are enamored of my eyes, they are here, as my present to you. I do not mind losing my eye sight, but I cannot afford to lose the light of my soul. I would only request you not to tarnish my conscience.' The lady on hearing this, was stunned and did not know what to say. Rama need not elaborate this story any further.
They, who have moved this world, had a strong determination like that of this Sadhu or hermit. They could not be won over by any temptation.