Touchstone

Wednesday, October 13, 2010, 17:04

Is there a way for fulfilling desires? A short story from Indian tradition reveals the truth.

A lady named Chandramani who struggled to make both ends meet with the meager earnings of her husband, at the verge of losing hope approached a Sadhu.

The holy man with all the knowledge about the scriptures, seemed to be a simpleton with a calm mind.
Chandramani sought his permission to serve him, however she could help but feel envy of the fact that all that the holy man needed came to him as if by magic whether it was food, blanket, well water or flowers. She thus continued to serve him and the impact of being in the presence of the him, slowly brought about a transformation in her. Chandramani hence requested him to accept her as his disciple. She sat at his feet and listened to his words of wisdom.

Chandramani's husband however grumbled. He complained about her spending more time with the holy man than him for no apparent results. “You have been serving him for quite sometime but is there any improvement in our lifestyle or our problems solved?"

There was constant bickering between the couple that one day, Chandramani's husband firmly told, “I have heard people say that the holy man has a touchstone which when rubbed produces his wants. It seems he has given one to a man in the village who has grown rich with it. It is believed that he has more than one touchstones and hence ask him for one as you have served him long enough"

Chandramani did not have an option but to approach the holy man beyond her protests. When she requested the holy man for the touchstone, he casually said, “I threw it somewhere near the fence. Search there and take it if you find it"

Chandramani went about searching for the touchstone wondering about the way the holy man had disregarded it. She cogitated about the fact that the touchstone was useless to him that he threw it away, yet he had his desires fulfilled. Suddenly it dawned on her that the serenity that surrounded him, the peace and radiance that he exuded , his sweet smile had nothing to do with the touchstone but his desire-free attitude towards life. It struck her that fulfilling desires will only end up in fuelling them rather than quelling them. The holy man had found the source, the true powerhouse. Hence the uselessness of the touch stone. Whatever he preached was what he exactly was, sans desires. By giving up desires, the world knocked at his door thrusting itself to be accepted.

Chandramani then and there abandoned her search and went home. All that she told her husband was that the holy man had thrown the touchstone away.

The story states that freedom from desire ends all doubts and vanities with the fulfillment of all desires.