Bad intentions of a devotee
Lobhanmohashcha nashashcha lobhah papashch karanam ||
Shri. Chidambara Mahaswamiji was becoming famous day by day. People who were coming for Darshana were experiencing the fulfilment of their desires. Shri. Chidambar Mahaswamiji being the kind hearted, everybody was getting something.
Shri. Chidambara Mahaswamiji had a ‘Kalash’ ( pot, jug ) used to carry it in his hand always. People’s desires were being fulfilled through this pot many times. This was Shri. Chidambara Mahaswamiji ‘Leela’ i.e. miracle. But a Brahmin thought that the pot was more powerful than Shri. Chidambara Mahaswamiji. Mahaswamiji could get everything because of that pot only. So the Brahmin was thinking to steal that pot. So that he could get whatever he wanted. With this intention, the Brahmin pretended to be a loyal devotee of Shri. Chidambara Mahaswamiji. He was in search of an opportunity to come close to Shri. Chidambara Mahaswamiji. Shri. Chidambara Mahaswamiji was Antaryami (mind-reader). He recognised the Brahmin’s plan.
One day Shri. Chidambara Mahaswamiji left the ‘Kalash’ in God’s room and went to river for a bath. The Brahmin thought, it was a right time to steal the pot and run away from the place. So he rushed there and took the pot. Put it on the cloth to cover it up. As he started to bind it by the cloth, suddenly a number of scorpions started oozing out of the pot. The scorpions continued to come out in hundreds and started moving in such a way that the Brahmin could not move from the place to get out of the room. He was much frightened.
At the same time, Shri. Chidambar Mahaswamiji arrived after bath. He heard loud cries of Brahmin and went to the room and saw hundreds of scorpions moving on the floor. Shri. Chidambara Mahaswamiji asked the Brahmin, “What have you done this? You could have told me, what you wanted”. The Brahmin was much ashamed of his deed. He was caught red handed. He was locked without lock. With crying, he told Shri. Chidambara Mahaswamiji, “I am very sorry. Please help me. I have committed this mistake due to poverty. Please forgive me”. The kind Shri. Chidambara Mahaswamiji forgave him. Shri. Chidambara Mahaswamiji took water from another pot in his hand and sprinkled over. All of a sudden, all the scorpions disappeared. The fellow fell over Shri. Chidambara Mahaswamiji’s feet.
Shri. Chidambara Mahaswamiji asked him to get up. Gave him 2 handful of money and said, “Take this and go. You will not experience poverty through-out your life in future”. The Brahmin again asked to pardon him and went to his village.
Since then, he became a devoted follower of Shri. Chidambara Mahaswamiji. All his bad habits were gone and he lived a gentleman’s life chanting Shri. Chidambara Mahaswamiji’s name Shiv Chidambara, Shiv Chidambara.