Parable of The Sadhu and The Sword

Parable of The Sadhu and The Sword

A king was crossing a jungle. On the way he felt extremely thirsty. He wanted to take a refreshing bath also. He entered the hermitage of an old Tapasvin and asked him: "Maharaj, is there any river or lake nearby in which I can take bath and refresh myself?"

"Yes, there is a river, a hundred yards to the east of this hermitage. Its waters are cool and refreshing. Please do take your bath in it. It is purifying and holy, too."

"In that case, Maharaj, can I leave my luggage here? What is the use of carrying all this about?"

"All right, you may keep it here. Oh, what is that glittering thing?" he asked looking at the golden scabbard which the king handed him.

The king unsheathed the gleaming sword which the hermit admired in his child-like simplicity. The kind understood that hermit had not seen a sword before, in his life-time, and merely warning him, "Please be careful not to meddle with this," went away.

The Tapasvin was soon tempted to find out the properties of the sword. He unsheathed it and placed it on the ground. It at once cut the soft Kusa-grass bed on which he was sitting. The Tapasvin grew more curious. He took sword in his hand and struck a water-melon lying in front of him; the water-melon was cut into two. Two deer were playing in front of the Kutir; the Tapasvin threw the sword at them. It hit one of them and that one was instantly killed. At this moment the king returned from his bath. He was indignant that Tapasvin should thus have misused the weapon. His Kshatriya assertive nature prompted him to use a few hot words; and the Tapasvin at once rushed towards the king, sword in hand. But the wise king shot an arrow at the Tapasvin and severed the hand holding the sword. The Tapasvin at once realised the terrible mistake he committed.

The Yogi practises deep meditation. He advances in Raja Yoga. After some practice, this Raja Yoga gives him some wonderful Siddhis. The Yogi tries to use the Siddhis for some simple and harmless purpose. He finds that he can get rid of simple ailments with his Yogic powers. He is able to keep ferocious animals under his control so that they won't harm him. He is also able to influence some human beings and make them serve him. From one experiment to the other, he proceeds with the use of his psychic powers. When he discovers that his psychic powers are enormous, then he stops his Sadhana, he gives up his Tapasya and goes headlong down the abyss of delusion. He is ready to cut even the throat of the Yoga itself; he is ready to destroy the very Sadhana that gave him the psychic powers. But, in time God's Grace descends into him and cuts off the evil promptings within him which make use of his psychic powers. The Yogi realises his serious mistake and thenceforward never runs after the Siddhi. He attains to the Supreme Peace.