The hermit and the devil

The hermit who was engrossed in meditation wanted to get up from his posture for a change. But he was also reluctant thinking that he had not fulfilled the necessary degree of trace which he wanted to achieve. This hermit named Vasu lived in an abode made by himself closer to a pond of lotus flowers.

From time to time, he got up and felt the sweet incense of lotuses and heaved a long breath thinking to himself, oh how sweet these lotuses are. But they fade off as time passes. Nothing remains permanent. Vasu, the hermit got up from his meditative mood, and walked up to the lotus pond.

There were quite a number of lotuses blooming, and swaying to the wind that blew over the pond. It was also a vast area covered with some other water plants inclusive of water lilies and water herbs. From time to time he had observed how some people come to fetch some of these plants for medicinal cure.

Vasu rose from his posture.

Walking closer to the pond, he saw a specialty in one of the lotuses. He clarified his vision and made sure that it is the most beautiful lotus among the rest of the flowers. He thought to himself: 'Lotus is a flower which springs up from a muddy bottom of the pond and rises up, without being mud smeared. In the same way I also should determine to live like a lotus.'

But soon he developed a desire to possess the lotus. 'I want to hold that lotus in my hand and sense the sweetness of it.'

Gradually with this mental status developed within him, Vasu stepped into the pond and held the lotus by his hand.

'Oh what a beautiful blessing of the nature this is,' he thought, 'should I pluck it or should I leave it as it is. But there are thousands of flowers in this vast area. I should pluck one lotus and take it to my abode.'

As he was about to step into the pond, he was hesitant. He held the beautiful lotus by his right hand. Touched it and wanted to bring it closer to his nose. Then all of a sudden he heard a divine voice.

"What are you up to? Are you not a hermit trying to achieve a higher state of mind? You need to pluck that lotus? Really you have not developed your mind from material bonds. Stay away from the spot and meditate on what you are going to do."

Vasu did not see anyone around.

'Isn't that my own inner voice,' he wondered, 'no, it cannot be my own inner voice. It is a divine voice, which I heard."

He kept off from plucking the flower, and stood still.

"Keep off from the lotus pond," came the voice once again. Vasu kept off silently and gazed at the vast area of lotuses. What he saw next perplexed his mind. A devilish looking man came to the pond side in a hasty manner. He held a basket in one of his hands. The devilish looking man walked into the lotus pond, and plucked almost every lotus.

Vasu was confused.

"Who is this devastator plucking all lotuses?"

He could not bear to watch the scene - he cried.

"Oh god, can't you see what that devil is doing? You blocked me from plucking just one lotus, but you are not doing anything when he destroys all the lotuses."

Then the divine was heard once again, distinctively.

"Let him pluck the lotuses. Can't you see that he is a devil. You are a hermit. Devils are devils and hermits must be hermits."

Vasu was pacified. He walked back to his abode, meditatively.