LET THE CHILD NOT FALL OFF
It was said of Saint Eknath that he had mastered his passions and nothing would make him lose his temper.
A man, with evil intentions, came to test him. He flung invectives at the Saint, abused and cursed him to his heart’s content. The saint was unperturbed.
The man grew tired and the Saint said to him, “My friend, it is time to eat food. You must be hungry after such a long sermon.”
Eknath asked his wife to serve meals. As the wife bent low to place the food before Eknath and the stranger, he thought of a device which would inflame the temper of the meekest amongst men. Quickly, he jumped and sat on the back of Eknath’s wife.
Eknath said to her, “My dear, don’t stand erect, else the child will fall off and be hurt.”
“True,” answered the wife. “Our son played with me in the same way when he was a child.”
Hearing the divine conversation, the man was flabbergasted. Sheepishly, he got down from the back of the saintly woman, fell down at her feet and at the feet of the Saint and, with tear touched eyes, asked their pardon.
“What is there to pardon?” they said to him. “Children always behave thus. Are you not our child?”
Anger always wounds the man who is angry. Passion burns up the soul that contains it. Significant are the words of Epictetus, “Whenever you are angry, be assured, that it is not only a present evil, but that you have increased a habit, and added fuel to a fire.”
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It was said of Saint Eknath that he had mastered his passions and nothing would make him lose his temper.
A man, with evil intentions, came to test him. He flung invectives at the Saint, abused and cursed him to his heart’s content. The saint was unperturbed.
The man grew tired and the Saint said to him, “My friend, it is time to eat food. You must be hungry after such a long sermon.”
Eknath asked his wife to serve meals. As the wife bent low to place the food before Eknath and the stranger, he thought of a device which would inflame the temper of the meekest amongst men. Quickly, he jumped and sat on the back of Eknath’s wife.
Eknath said to her, “My dear, don’t stand erect, else the child will fall off and be hurt.”
“True,” answered the wife. “Our son played with me in the same way when he was a child.”
Hearing the divine conversation, the man was flabbergasted. Sheepishly, he got down from the back of the saintly woman, fell down at her feet and at the feet of the Saint and, with tear touched eyes, asked their pardon.
“What is there to pardon?” they said to him. “Children always behave thus. Are you not our child?”
Anger always wounds the man who is angry. Passion burns up the soul that contains it. Significant are the words of Epictetus, “Whenever you are angry, be assured, that it is not only a present evil, but that you have increased a habit, and added fuel to a fire.”
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