The sari store owner's false devotion

Early one morning, around seven o’clock, I went to a restaurant. They gave me three idlis and sambhar. They did not have rose milk, so I asked them to give me lemonade. The prices were cheaper at this restaurant and they were very nice.

After breakfast, I told the rickshaw-wallah, “Take me to the bazaar.”

He said, “It is not open. At eight o’clock nothing is open. It opens at nine or nine-thirty.”

I said, “Take me slowly, and I will just see nature’s beauty. In the afternoon I will come back.”

I saw one particular sari store. The owner had opened the door a little, and he was praying so devotedly with folded hands. He was not paying any attention to people passing by. All the other stores were closed. I did not want to buy anything. I did not even have money; only a small amount I had taken with me. I said, “He is such a nice man. Let me see the name of the store, and I may come back.” This was my stupidity.

O God, the man happened to see me and said, “Oh no, no, no, do not drive away! I was praying to God, and God has listened to my prayer. You have come!”

I said, “This is not the right time. Your store is not yet open.”

The owner said, “No, God has listened to my prayers. Please, please, come inside.”

I said, “I have no money.”

He said, “You do not have to give me money now.”

I said, “I have very limited money. I cannot buy anything.”

Hostile forces always make fun of me! I chose a few saris, mostly to please him. I had only 120 rupees with me. He said, “You give me 100. Afterwards when you come back, you will give me the rest.”

The man put the saris in a bundle, and packed them very, very nicely. I said, “All right. I trust you, and you trust me. You have got 100 rupees. I trust you to such an extent, I do not need a receipt from you. You are such a nice man. In the morning you are praying. God knows when I will be back, but during the day I will come. Now I am going to see my sister.”

His whole forehead was besmeared with ashes and white paste. He looked like the greatest devotee. I said, “He is such a nice man.”

Late afternoon came. Already I had gone to see my sister three times. I said, “Let me go back to that store.” My sister was so happy that I was going shopping. She had begged me to go and get saris, but I had said, “This time I am not interested.” When I told her I had bought some, she was very happy.

I went back to the store and got the package. I gave him the money. He was very happy to find such a sincere person. As I was carrying the package out of the shop, all of a sudden, some divine forces acted through me. I said to myself, “The best thing is to count again to see if all the saris are there or not.” To me, the package looked exactly the same; in the morning we had counted everything. But I said to him, “Can you open it?”

The man said, “Why? Can you not see it is the same?”

I said, “Something is telling me. Just open it. I am absolutely sure all are there.” He had given me the receipt and everything.

Reluctantly he opened the package and I counted the saris.

Four saris were missing! I got so furious. I said, “I am calling the police!”

The owner said, “No, no!” He ran into a corner of the store. Those four missing saris he had kept at one particular place. He grabbed them from the corner and brought them to me.

I said, “How could you do this? Police, police!” He deceived me shamelessly. The package looked exactly the same the way he had re-packed it. If you take away only four light saris, how will somebody know? He had tied the cord around the bundle in exactly the same way.

When I was about to come out of the store with the package, the owner, his son and perhaps his grandson were blocking the door with their arms. They said, “You have to drink some soda.” They were afraid that I would tell the police.

I said, “I promise I will not go to the police. You have given me my saris back, so I am not going to the police.”

The owner said, “I know you will not go to the police, but you have to drink some soda.”

I had to wait there for five minutes because they had sent for soda for me. Otherwise, they would not allow me to leave. This is called emotional demand. It was all fear, fear.

For this kind of deception there is something called the law of karma, but the law of karma does not operate immediately. God waits for us to pray to Him for forgiveness; God gives us the scope to pray for forgiveness. Unfortunately, instead of using this time to become better, many people become worse.