ALL FOR A SINGLE PIECE OF LOIN-CLOTH

A SADHU under the instruction of his Guru built
for himself a small shed, thatched with leaves at a
distance from the haunts of men. He began his
devotional exercises in this hut. Now, every
morning after ablution he would hang his wet cloth
and the kaupina (loin-cloth) on a tree close to the
hut, to dry them. One day on his return from the
neighbouring village, which he would visit to beg
for his daily food, he found that the rats had cut
holes in his kaupina. So the next day he was
obliged to go to the village for a fresh one. A few
days later, the sadhu spread his loin-cloth on the
roof of his hut to dry it and then went to the
village to beg as usual. On his return he found that
the rats had torn it into shreds. He felt much
annoyed and thought within himself "Where shall I
go again to beg for a rag? Whom shall I ask for
one?" All the same he saw the villagers the next
day and re-presented to them the mischief done by
the rats. Having heard all he had to say, the
villagers said, "Who will keep you supplied with
cloth every day? Just do one thing—keep a cat; it
will keep away the rats." The sadhu forthwith
secured a kitten in the village and carried it to his
hut. From that day the rats ceased to trouble him
and there was no end to his joy. The sadhu now
began to tend the useful little creature with great
care and feed it on the milk begged from the
village. After some days, a villager said to him:
"Sadhuji, you require milk every day; you can
supply your want for a few days at most by
begging; who will supply you with milk all the year
round? Just do one thing—keep a cow. You can
satisfy your own creature comforts by drinking its
milk and you can also give some to your cat." In a
few days the sadhu procured a milch cow and had
no occasion to beg for milk any more. By and by,
the sadhu found it necessary to beg for straw for
his cow. He had to visit the neighbouring villages
for the purpose, but the villagers said, "There are
lots of uncultivated lands close to your hut; just
cultivate the land and you shall not have to beg for
straw for your cow." Guided by their advice, the
sadhu took to tilling the land. Gradually he had to
engage some labourers and later on found it
necessary to build barns to store the crop in. Thus
he became, in course of time, a sort of landlord.
And, at last he had to take a wife to look after his
big household. He now passed his days just like a
busy householder.
After some time, his Guru came to see him.
Finding himself surrounded by goods and chattles,
the Guru felt puzzled and enquired of a servant,
"An ascetic used to live here in a hut; can you tell
me where he has removed himself?" The servant
did not know what to say in reply. So the Guru
ventured to enter into the house, where he met his
disciple. The Guru said to him, "My son, what is all
this?" The disciple, in great shame fell at the feet of
his Guru and said, "My Lord, all for a single piece
of loin-cloth!"