Golden Steps To Salvation

Author(s): Padmasagarsuri
Publisher: Arunoday Foundation

Page 23

in that country that for years they never entertained the idea of stealing or taking possession of things belonging to others.
A similar incident that made a thief give up stealing took place in the life of Pundit Banarasi Dasji. One night nine robbers entered his house through a hole which they made in a wall. There was a large heap of black pepper in the house. The robbers spread their towels on the floor; put as much pepper as possible on them and tied them into bundles. Then, they got ready to leave. Each helped the other to place the load on his head. There was no one to help the ninth robber to take up his load. He stood near the bundle helplessly. All the other eight robbers had heavy loads on their heads. T y could not help him. Seeing his plight the Punditji himx helped him. The robbers went out. But on the way they began to wonder who had helped the ninth robber. To find this out, they went into the house through the hole again. When they tried to find it out the Punditji said, “Brothers! seeing the sad face of the ninth friend, I took pity on him and I myself helped him to lift his load on to his head. Seeing how the Punditji had shown his kindness to a thief, all the robbers were so greatly moved that their hearts changed. They returned the commodity to Punditji and they vowed not to commit a theft or a robbery in the future.
Thieves sometimes give up stealing on account of a sense of shame. This point is evident from the incident that took place in Morbi city.
A beggar came to the shop of a Saithji to beg for wheat flour. There was a door leading into the house. The Saithji went into the house to fetch wheat flour. Seeing that there was no one in the shop the beggar took up a vessel that was lying there and put it into his bag.
The Saithji returned with the wheat flour. Noticing that the vessel was not there, he concluded that the beggar should have stolen it. After having given him some flour, the Saithji said, “Brother! take some 'ghee' also; otherwise how can you prepare bati (food) ?"