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CURIOSITY
He was a Sadhu—an ascetic-he had forsaken his royal throne to be a Sadhu. Now he lived a carefree life; he stood in fear of none and none stood in fear of him. He was contented and cheerful.
One day he was walking along the 'King's Way', looking at everything in a very detached manner, when suddenly he caught sight of a dazzling red ruby. On the edge of the King's Way’, lay this bloodred ruby, gleaming in the rays of the sun.
As a king, he had seen numerous diamonds and emeralds; he had worn priceless rubies and pearls, but the ruby that lay sparkling in the dust was somehow different; he had never seen the like of it before. Curiosity had the better of his detachment towards worldly objects. “I'd like to examine, it closely; how is it different:" he muttered to himself, and bending low, he stretched out his hand to pick it up. Instantly he withdrew it with repugnance, for it was not a ruby. It was a blob of sputum, blood-red with the betelleaf that somebody had been chewing!
The Sadhu said to himself, “Do have a good look at it; your asceticism has not conquered curiosity; now you have satisfied your curiosity to your chagrin!”
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