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"Was he a monk in our Sraman tradition?" I asked Bhagwan.
"Goyama, this is an extreme form of penance known as 'Pranama Pravrajya' (a vow to respect all living beings). It was common both in Vedic and Sramanic tradition. People perform it hoping to purify their soul, or to gain thunderbolt energy (Tejo Lesya) from the sun.
Taamali also wanted to undertake the extreme penance of Pranama Pravrajya. So he decided to distribute some of his wealth to the needy, and then take the sacred vow of Pranama Pravrajya. In the morning, he told his wife and children about his decision and sought their permission. Upon distributing part of his wealth to the poor, he invited his friends to his house and declared his intention to them. He asked his eldest son to take charge of the business and to take good care of the family and the society, and left for the hill.
After two days when Taamali came down from the hill for food, people offered him lavishly-prepared dishes. He politely refused such special food, and accepted only small portions from those who would offer him simple food. This too was the part of his penance. Soon the penance started taking toll on his body; Taamali lost his fat, and became just skin and bones. Still, instead of giving up his penance, he started thinking about his own mortality. He realized the impermanence of life and concluded that it is futile to be in love with this body. "A purer soul would merit a better rebirth." He would say to himself.
Taamali's thoughts continued, "My goal is to accumulate good karma, but this body demands physical pleasures that would make me happy. Pleasure derived from external sources, such as money,
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