Once it happened that a very poor man developed a high fever and all kinds of ailments. The homeopath went to the man's house to help him, and found that he was shivering violently. The homeopath took off his own shawl and gave it to the poor man, as well as massaging his whole body and giving him medicine. He spent two or three hours there. His fee for house calls was only three rupees, and, as happened quite often, he did not even ask the man to pay him.
When the homeopath went home he was shivering because he no longer had his shawl. His father insulted him mercilessly for his impractical attitude. His wife shed bitter tears, for she, too, had a big heart, and she felt very sad when her father-in-law insulted her husband.
One day it happened that the richest man in the city developed a serious disease. Even the doctors in the hospital could not cure him. Finally the rich man's friends pointed out by way of joke that there was only one doctor in the city whom he had not consulted: the foolish quack homeopath. Although they were joking, the rich man said, "Since I am heading towards the other world, it cannot do any harm for me to try him."
So he sent for the poor doctor, who came and gave him a homeopathic remedy. In two or three days it became obvious that the patient was improving, and in a month's time he was completely cured. The rich man went to the doctor's house and gave him three hundred rupees, but the homeopath said, "But you have already paid my fee of three rupees. Why should I take this?"
The rich man insisted, "Three hundred rupees is nothing for me."
The doctor's father began insulting him, as usual, and was forcing him to take the money.
Finally the homeopath started crying in front of everyone. Looking up into the sky with folded hands, he started praying aloud: "O God, You have really forsaken me. If I become rich, then I will not think of You. You have manoeuvred a tricky plan to test me. If I take the money, I will no longer think of You. Only if I remain poor will I be able to think of You at every moment. No, I will not accept this money under any circumstances." And in spite of his father's unceasing insults, he remained firm in his refusal to accept the three hundred rupees.
Commentary
This seeker happened to be one of the foremost disciples of Sri Ramakrishna. He was devotion incarnate. No other disciple had his kind of devotion. You can call it fanatical devotion, but I call it true devotion. When his Master used to give prasad on a plantain leaf, he used to eat even the leaf, because the leaf was also a great blessingful gift from the Master.
There are many devotional stories about him. One story is that some friends of his came one day to visit him, and he was so poor that he didn't have fuel. So he cut off the beam that was holding the ceiling and used it as fuel so that he could cook for his friends.
When Sri Ramakrishna passed away, for two or three months this disciple was bedridden. He cried and cried, saying, "Now there is nothing to see on earth, nothing to feel, nothing, nothing."
Sri Ramakrishna told many, many people that this disciple was a householder who could truly be respected by all. He deserved everybody's admiration and adoration, no matter how pure and spiritual a life that person was leading. This homeopath was the radiant example of purity, simplicity, sympathy and oneness-heart.
From:Sri Chinmoy,AUM — Vol.II-6, No.12, December 1980, Agni Press, 1980
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