There was a forest. There lived a saint who was performing penance. On seeing him performing penance, Indra took a fright that his kingdom will be snatched away by that ascetic. So Indra planned a trick to break his penance. He arranged concerts and dancing programmes in the forest. Various types of musical instruments were used. APSARAS started their dances. Perfumed air began to blow. Trees and creepers put on new dresses of various coloured flowers. There was joy and mirth in every direction.Yet the ascetic remained unmoved. There was no effect on him. Indra now thought out another plan. He himself put on a disguise of a prince and went to the ascetic's Ashram. He joined in the service of the ascetic.

The ascetic was pleased with Indra's service and showed him a favour. At that time the prince (Indra) said, “O Yogiraj, I have one prayer to express. I want to deposit certain thing”. The ascetic smiled on hearing this. The ascetic said with surprise, “A deposit! Do you think this Ashram is a merchant's shop to deposit something?”

The prince said, “Where shall I find such a true merchant as you are? I am a Kshatriya. Our pride, wealth and credit lie in our weapon. Our weapon is our capital wealth. How can we deposit such invaluable thing at any place?

The ascetic said, “ That means do you want to deposit your weapons ?” The prince said, “Truly speaking I have no weapons as such but only this sword. This sword is dearer to one than my life. I have won many battle with its power. How can I deposit it any place?”

On seeing the prince's insistence, the ascetic agreed. Indra put the sword at the ascetic's feet and went away. In the beginning, the ascetic thought to place it in the corner of his Ashram and Indra would take it away when needed. But after the prince had gone, he thought that it was not that easy to look after somebody deposit. If the deposit is lost or stolen, it would be the breech of trust. It should be looked after with all care. But where to keep the sword in a small hut ? He had no box, a cupboard or a peg. So he decided to dig out a pit and bury the sword in it, He thought, “ if I do so, the sword would be rusty. That would be damage to a deposit and not to have looked after it. Then what to do ?” After thinking too much, at last the ascetic put the sword under his seat. He sat on it and began to meditate God.

He had to go in the jungle to collect roots and bulbs and fire wood for the YAJNA. During this time he could not go leaving the sword all alone in the Ashram. So he carried the sword with him. How strange it is to see an ascetic with a sword ! But the sword was a deposit of someone. It must be taken during bath or morning prayer (Sandhya), the ascetic's attention was more towards the sword than God.

He cared for the sword more than himself. The more he thought of the sword, the less was his meditation on God. One day the ascetic went to a jungle. He wanted small, tender branches of a Bunyan tree. While cutting the branches, he thought “How good it would be if I had a knife”. He had no knife. But he had a sword. He at once drew out the sword from the scabbard and out down speedily, some branches with the sword. “How nice ! How speedily!” his mind eoched. He thought, “There is nothing wrong to use a useful thing.I don't want to misappropriate it. I shall return to its owner when he comes back”.

The ascetic's hands were eager to use it every now and then. He would feel a day very dry and uninteresting when the sword had not been used. One day a jungle cat attacked the ascetic in the forest. The jungle cat began to growl at him. The ascetic at once drew the sword, and cut the cat's head which went off to a distance of seven feet. The ascetic saw this miracle with pride. He said to himself, “All honour to this sword”.

Now the ascetic's sword began to be used on the lives of the animals in jungle. One day he would kill a hare or the next day he would kill a mongoose. Thus one day he had a quarrel with a hunter. The hunter said, “I have been to hunt here. This is my jurisdiction. Why did you kill my hare?” “I have been staying in this jungle for the last fourteen years. I am the owner of this jungle. Not only a hare but I may kill even you,” said the ascetic.

“Go away, go away,” said the hunter with hatred. Then the ascetic was in anger. He drew the sword in rage. The hunter's head was thus separated from the body. The ascetic thought to himself, “Well done! I am the master of the jungle. This sword is my ornament. Thus he forgot his religion, worship and knowledge. From an ascetic he turned into a robber. The ascetic who did not stir even by the wealth and power of Heaven, was back, slider.

THE COMMANDMENT OF THE SHIKSHAPATRI 12, 155, 190

None of my follower shall kill or harm goats or other animals even for the sacrificial ceremonies to propitiate a deity or manes (spirit of forefathers) because the Shastras assert that non-violence alone is the best form of Dharma”. “House holders who are quite well to do shall perform non-violent Vaishnav sacrifices (YAJNAS)”.

“Sadhus shall not take safe-custody of other's wealth or accept anything as trust. They shall never lose their forbearance.

Even a saint who could make Indraasan (the throne of Indra) unsteady, turned himself into a violent robber in the company of a sword. This illustration is taken from the Ramayan. Quite opposite to this is an example of Valmiki. Valmiki was a violent robber. He became a great saint, ascetic and poet in company of Naradmuni. It is true. A man is known by the company he keeps”.

Some once asked Mahatma Gandhi “Bapu, who is called a coward in the world ?” “One who keeps weapons with him, because he is afraid of someone's attack. Fear gives the birth of the idea of utility of weapons,” replied Mahatma Gandhi.

The wealth acquired by the help of weapons will be protected till you possess weapons. So such wealth is devilish wealth. Knowledge, service, and renunciation are true wealth. No weapon is needed to guard it. On the contrary, they increase by their use.

Indra is the king of Heaven. He is not afraid of only devils. He is afraid of also ascetics. He is constantly afraid of losing his throne. There is no happiness where such fears exist.

Shriji Maharaj has categorically commanded his Sadhus never to have any body's thing in safe custody.