Rich Man And The Beggar

Sharing a personal story of an old age couple who used to live on roadside near my house. They had a make believe hut with a plastic sheet overhead.
when once it rained too heavily, my friend and me bought a loaf of bread and some snacks for the couple as we knew that they won't be able to light the fire as firewood may have been wet.
When rain slowed down and we reached there, old man was not there. The woman was sitting in an only dry corner in that hut. My friend asked, Where is Dada( grandfather)? The woman said ," he has gone for begging in nearby area." We left the food there with her.
Around dusk, my friend thought of just checking on them again.
When she reached there, the old man was sitting and the woman was cooking Chapati with little flaur on one odd dry firewood she had found from below the pile. A dog was standing beside her.
My friend asked in surprise, " why are you cooking now? Shouldn't you save that for tomorrow and right now eat what we have given you. That way both your today and tomorrow are taken care of in case it rains more in the night."
The old woman smiled and said," we can eat bread but my this little child eats only wheat chapati. He doesn't eat bread. Your Dada (grandfather) had gone to beg for him only." Saying this she she pat the dog lovingly.
My friend was speechless. She later narrated this to me. We were wondering whether this was poverty or richness of the soul?
We felt they were living in true abundance. Hide full comment

I love parables. They are short like this Hindu parable containing profound wisdom. This parable reveals the spiritual way of living a precious life without attachment to material things. The man who is sitting by the river side contemplating is deeply contented with what he has. He gladly gives the precious diamond from his bag to the poor man who is a stranger to him. He is not expecting any reward from the beggar. His life is flowing like the river. And when the beggar comes back after a year in the dress of a wealthy man he welcomes him with an open heart. The wealthy man wanted to know whatever was inside him thatallowed him give the diamond freely. Detachment, offering a gift to someone unconditionally expecting no reward in return. This is an example of living like a Karma Yogi, offering a gift from unselfish heart.

I have learned the art of living a spiritual life from my parents and a few wise teachers. I am deeply grateful for teaching me how to spiritualize my life. I got the precious diamondof living without attachment. Living this way creates joy and contentment in me. We all have the precious diamondof happiness and fullness in us. It's by sharing it with others or offering it to others with noattachment fills the cup of my life.

Living in the world spiritually creates abundance, inner wealth and offering the inner wealth to those who need it is a blessing to me. This is a life lesson. When any thought of what I am going to get from others goes through my mind, I recognize it and willinglyI let it go. Remainawake and aware of the mind stuff without being bound by it is my mantra. This is my self-liberating mantra. That frees me from my self-created prison.
Namaste!
Jagdish P Dave'


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