Once upon a time there was an ascetic (sanyasi) named Dev Sharma. He lived among a group of ascetics in a monastery. Because of his knowledge he was very much honoured by the people of the area. Many rich people had become his pupils. They gave him rich presents every now and then. As a result, the ascetic came to have enough wealth.
Now Dev Sharma always kept worried about his wealth. He was always alert against its theft. Not only this, he never trusted anyone in regard to his wealth. Even at night he kept his wealth under his pillow and never allowed anybody to sleep near him.
But there was a notorious thief named Aashadbhooti. Somehow, he came to know of the wealth of Dev Sharma. So, he started making plans to rob the ascetic of his wealth. He thought hard over the matter and found that direct theft was not possible at all. The walls of the monastery were very strong and Dev Sharma was much too alert as well.
Thinking hard for a number of days, Aashadbhooti decided to make friends with Dev Sharma and then swindle him out of his wealth. So, he went to Dev Sharma and saluted him respectively. Then he sat at the feet of the ascetic and started talking of religious matters. Putting on a very sincere face, he requested Dev Sharma, “I have come to you, O Great Saint, for knowledge. Accept me as your humble pupil and show me the path that leads to salvation from all worldly affairs.”
Dev Sharma was very much impressed by Aashadbhooti’s devotion. He admired him for taking to divine ways in his very youth. So, he accepted him as his pupil and instructed him to worship Lord Shiva daily. Aashadbhooti touched Dev Sharma’s feet and thanked him for accepting him as his pupil.
“But you will have to sleep outside the monastery at night,” said Dev Sharma.
“Why Guruji ?” asked Aashadbhooti.
“Because ascetics never sleep in company. They were disallowed to do so, “Dev Sharma replied.
Hearing this, Aashadbhooti felt anxious. But Fearing that Dev Sharma might notice his worry, he put on a broad smile on his face and said, “Rest assured, Guruji, I shall do as you bid.”
Thus Aashadbhooti started living with his guru, Dev Sharma, in the monastery. At night he would go out of the monastery and sleep on a platform there. Within a few days, he pleased Dev Sharma and won his confidence. But as for Dev Sharma’s wealth, it remained well-protected because the ascetic was very very alert. Aashadbhooti was not able to find any chance to steal it. The ascetic always kept it safe under his waist cloth. All efforts of the thief to make Dev Sharma neglectful of the wealth had failed.
But one day it so happened that a devotee of Dev Sharma came to the monastery. He invited the ascetic to dinner on a religious-festive day. The village of the devotee was at a short distance from the monastery.
On the day of the feast, Dev Sharma left the monastery early in the morning. He had taken Aashadbhooti also with him. Now, there lay a stream across the way. When they reached the bank of the stream, Dev Sharma felt the call of nature. So, he decided to answer the call there itself.
But where to leave the wealth before going to ease himself was a serious problem for Dev Sharma. He began to think hard. At last he asked Aashadbhooti to bring some water from the stream. In his absence, he took out his money from under his waist-cloth and put it into a bag. But Aashadbhooti was much too clever to be dodged. He had seen the ascetic putting his money into the bag.
As for Dev Sharma, his inside pressure was mounting gradually. So, when Aashadbhooti returned with water, he said to him, “Sit down with your face towards the east, close your eyes and count beads in the name of Lord Shiva till I come back.” Aashadbhooti nodded and sat there counting beads as directed by Dev Sharma.
When Dev Sharma saw Aashadbhooti perfectly lost in bead-counting, he left the place to ease himself after gently placing the bag of wealth behind his pupil’s back. Going over a distance, he sat behind a small mound to answer the call of the nature.
As for Aashadbhooti, he opened his eyes and saw Dev Sharma in the distance. When he noticed his hands were empty, he immediately knew that Dev had hidden the bag somewhere. So, he looked around for it and found it lying behind his back.
Losing no time, he took all the wealth out of the bag and disappeared, leaving his rosary and the empty bag behind. In no time, he vanished into thin air.
After a short while, Dev Sharma returned to the place and found Aashadbhooti missing. Fearing the theft of his wealth, he advanced towards the bag. But it was lying empty. All the wealth had been taken away by Aashadbhooti. Dev Sharma turned pale and stroked his forehead saying, “How unworthy my pupil has turned out to be!”
Dev Sharma felt extremely aggrieved and tears streamed down his cheeks. But crying neither bring him his wealth nor give him any satisfaction. So, he composed himself and set out to look for his unworthy pupil-Aashadbhooti.
Soon he reached a town and reported the matter to the kotwal. Within a few days, Aashadbhooti was arrested and sent to jail. Dev Sharma got his wealth back too.
Children, learn a lesson from this story: Robbing or Stealing is a bad habit. Moreover, stealing from one’s teacher is an even greater sin.
