Page 270 - Kailaspati: Paramhans Hansdevji Avadhoot

used to live in a poor sort of way, wore simple dresses and had no luxury in food-habits. he came to be known as the greatest philanthropist in the country. his wife and son also came to know about his name and fame.
his wife and his son were in great distress. his lazy son had not had any training under a jeweller. in the absence of his father, he became the owner of their shop and started wallowing in luxury. he lived a riotous life with unruly and indisciplined associates and thus spent every precious stone he had in his shop. he had no income at all but he spent extravagantly. The palatial building he had, had to be disposed off. impoverished, both the mother and the son left their house. at last they came to the guest-house for which the merchant had spent a lot of money and for which they had driven him out of their house. But they were offered no room there. The Chief Executive said, “This guest house is not meant for those who are able to work and earn their bread.”
On being driven from there, the young man held the hand of his mother and went to seek for food and shelter at the feet of his father. When both the tired travellers came to the gate of the house of the merchant, they saw the door closed. he said to his wife and son, “You have no claim on me. i have done every duty to both of you and you have broken all relations with me. Now i am concerned about the homeless ones and not with you two. Whatever i have is theirs and not yours. Under no circumstances will i allow you to stay with me.”
Both his wife and son fell at his feet, begged an apology and prayed for shelter. The merchant was strict and harsh. he said, “how can i take off the food from the mouth of the orphans, the poor, the homeless to feed you? in any case, i can offer you that much which i can afford to offer a hungry beggar today. i will then send you to the home for the homeless and if the Executive Officer thinks it proper he may allow you to live there.”
and the story ended here. While listening to this story, we were fortunate enough to have some precious advice. The paths taken by a ‘Gyanayogi’ and a ‘Karmayogi’ are different but their mission is the same. so the ‘Gyanayogi’ showed the ‘Karmayogi’
240 Kailashpati