Sayings of Ramakrishna 277

The parable of a Brahman and his low-caste servant:

As soon as Mâyâ is found out, she flies away. 

A priest was once going to the village of a disciple. He had no servant with him. 

On the way, seeing a cobbler, he addressed him, saying, "Hallo! good man, will you accompany me as a servant? You shall dine well and will be cared for; come along." 

The cobbler replied, "Reverend Sir, I am of the lowest caste, how can I represent your servant?" 

The priest said, "Never mind that. Do not tell anybody what you are, nor speak to or make acquaintance with anyone." The cobbler agreed. 

At twilight, while the priest was sitting at prayers in the house of his disciple, another Brahman came and addressed the priest's servant, "Fellow, go and bring my shoes from there." 

The servant, true to the words of his master, made no response. 

The Brahman repeated the order a second time, but the servant remained silent. The Brahman repeated it again and again, but the cobbler moved not an inch. 

At last, getting annoyed, the Brahman angrily said, "Hallo Sirrah! How dare you not obey a Brahman's command! What is your caste? Are you not a cobbler?" 

The cobbler hearing this began to tremble with fear, and piteously looking at the priest said, "O venerable Sir, O venerable Sir! I am found out. I cannot stay here any longer, let me flee." 

So saying, he took to his heels. 

IMAGE: Rosalba Carriera, Portrait of a Woman with Mask (c. 1730)