Rohan did voluntary work for an organisation that fed and clothed the hungry and poor of his community. Once, a project was being organised where books and other school supplies were being collected for the children of needy families.
Rohan decided he would seek help from Sethji who lived in a huge mansion with an army of servants. Greeting the rich owner of a fleet of cars, Rohan explained the purpose of his visit, “Sethji, any help from you would be most welcome. We wish that all children in our community would have, at least, the basic necessities for the start of the new term of school.”
However, the rich man was as miserly as he was rich. He would not part with even a single cent. No matter how much Rohan tried to persuade him, Sethji refused to accede to his request.
Eventually, Sethji lost his temper. He reached into a corner, picked up an old broom and threw it at Rohan. Receiving the broom graciously, Rohan thanked Sethji profusely for the gift. Seeing that Rohan was not the least bit angry, the rich man felt ashamed of his behaviour. He apologised for his misconduct and said, “What I do not understand is that even though I threw a broom at you in a fit of anger, you accepted it as though it were a valuable gift.”
Rohan replied, “Sir, the broom is welcome wherever it is used. In itself it is unclean, but it cleans away all the dirt from the place where it is used. The broom has earned the world’s eternal gratitude. This I have accepted as your contribution and I consider it as the most valuable gift that I have received. I cannot thank you enough for it.”
As Rohan turned to leave, Sethji caught his arm and handed him a purse. “Bhagavan be with you as you continue to help the needy,” he said repentantly. “From now on, all my money is at your disposal.”
