Sanâtan was telling his beads by the Ganges when a Brahmin in
rags came to him and said, "Help me, I am poor!"

"My alms-bowl is all that is my own," said Sanâtan, "I have given
away everything I had."

"But my lord Shiva came to me in my dreams," said the Brahmin,
"and counselled me to come to you."

Sanâtan suddenly remembered he had picked up a stone without
price among the pebbles on the river-bank, and thinking that some
one might need it hid it in the sands.

He pointed out the spot to the Brahmin, who wondering dug up the
stone.

The Brahmin sat on the earth and mused alone till the sun went
down behind the trees, and cowherds went home with their cattle.

Then he rose and came slowly to Sanâtan and said, "Master, give
me the least fraction of the wealth that disdains all the wealth
of the world."

And he threw the precious stone into the water.



XXVIII