Food For The Yogi
A Yogi in Simhapura
Long ago, in the city of Simhapura, there lived a Yogi with a few disciples. He was held in high esteem not only by the common people but also by the king of the land. Whenever the king felt troubled, he approached the Yogi for advice, which always restored his peace of mind.
The King’s Proposal
One day, the king proposed, “O great sage, I see that you and your disciples wander from door to door begging for food. This is unnecessary. Please come and stay near my palace; I will take care of all your needs.”
“That is not possible, my son,” replied the Yogi. “I am under the vow that I must endure some trouble to collect my food. I must wander from door to door.”
Food for the Yogi
The king then ordered that whenever the Yogi or his disciples approached anyone for alms, they must provide to the best of their ability. This made the Yogi’s work much easier, and he received plenty. Many vagabonds, eager for the abundance, styled themselves as his disciples and merrily traveled with him.
A Surprising Encounter
One day, the Yogi stood before a wine shop. The shopkeeper greeted him, saying, “O sage, please come in. But I have nothing to offer you except for wine!” The Yogi entered the shop with a smile. When the shopkeeper handed him a potful of wine, he drank it, uttering, “Lord! I offer this to Thou!”
Seeing their master drink the wine, his disciples followed suit, indulging to their heart’s content. However, most of them soon lost control and behaved riotously.
A Change of Heart
The news of their behavior reached the king, who felt disgusted and angry. He ordered his guards to turn away the Yogi if he ever came to see him. The people learned of the incident and noticed the king’s changed attitude towards the Yogi. They also stopped showing him respect, leading the Yogi and his disciples to go without sufficient food. Consequently, all the false disciples soon deserted him.
An Unexpected Test
Days passed, and while wandering one day, the Yogi stopped at a goldsmith’s workshop. The goldsmith chuckled and asked, “O sage, all I have is boiling melted gold. Would you like to drink a cup of it?”
“Why not!” replied the Yogi with his characteristic smile. The goldsmith, curious to see what would happen, handed him a cup of hot melted gold. The Yogi accepted it quietly and said, “O Lord! I offer this to Thou!” before gulping it down.
The goldsmith was left nearly speechless with surprise. The news spread like wildfire, reaching the king. He now recognized the Yogi’s true nature and rushed to him, exclaiming, “I now realize that wine or poison or fire—they all are the same to you. O great soul! Pardon me for having misunderstood you.”
