Sadhu's Treasure

Morale of the Story: " Don’t trust easily. "

He would at once sell the luxuries items and thus, he had acquired a substantial number of gold coins. He treasured them and guarded them closely. In fact, he use to keep all his treasure under his arms everytime.

In the same village their lived a dishonest man named Bhima. He found out about the treasure and now, he wanted to possess it badly. So he sat down and thought of a plan.The next day, Bhima dresses himself in simple clothes and approached Sadhu.

"O holy Sir", addressed Bhima, " I have heard much about you and your holy doings. I have renounced the would and I am no longer chained to its material charms. After all, the material things are for a moment but life devoted to god helps you through the seven births. So here I am to ask you to be my guide and my teacher. I have come to be your disciple".

"Young man," said Sadhu, " I am impressed by your high thoughts at this young age. You are indeed fit to be taught as my disciple, but you must follow all the rules of the Mandir.

You must not possess any material things and you must reside in a thatched roof hut just  outside the Mandir. If you agree to all this, you may readily become my disciple".

Bhima agreed promptly to please Sadhu, after all he had his eyes on the treasure. Months passed and Bhima was still serving Sadhu to win his confidence. Bhima spent the days doing the personal chores for Sadhu such as cooking his meals, washing his clothes and fetching water for him and his nights were spent in pressing Sadhu’s tired feet. Bhima had thought that by serving Sadhu he would win his confidence and he will be given the charge of the treasure ,but to no avail.  After all this, Sadhu did not relent Bhima's hold on his treasure.

When Bhima was feeling disheartened, one day a man arrived at the Mandir. The man came from a rich merchant in the city and he said, " O holy sir, my master invites you to a grand meal he is hosting for all hermits, sages and Brahmans. He would be pleased if you would bless the feast by your presence."

Sadhu accepted the invitation readily and he left for the city with Bhima and the treasure under his arm. On the way, as evening fell, Sadhu saw a lake and he soon decided to have a wash and offer the evening prayer.

But he was worried about his treasure, so he thought to himself, "I must not fail to offer the prayers as they are part of my daily routine. But if I had to take a bath, I must put my treasure in a safe place, but there is none in this wilderness.

Ah! Surely I can leave it with Bhima, my trusted disciple. He will take care of it while I bathe and anyway he is not greedy nor he will steal it, for he has renounced all material goods."

Thus, Sadhu handed his beloved treasure to Bhima and got down into the lake for a bath. Now, Bhima was delighted, his patience paid at last.

Not waiting a second to spend a thought over or look through the treasure, he simply took the bundle containing the gold coins and ran away.

Sadhu came out of the lake to wear his clothes and to reclaim his treasure but alas! He saw none of them. Soon he realized what a trusting fool he had been.

The End