Story

A True Piligrim – Sant Eknath’s offering to a Donkey

Once upon a time a group of saints were carrying the pious water of the river Ganga from Prayag in north India, to offer to Lord Shiva at Rameshwaram in the South. It was a long and arduous journey.Saint Eknath was with them.When they were crossing a vast desert, they saw a donkey dying of thirst. Saint Eknath immediately offered his water to the donkey and saved his life.The other saints in the group were furious, and considered it an insult to the Lord Shiva, Since the water meant for offering to the God had been wasted on a donkey.Saint Eknath explained his act very calmly, “O wise men, you have read again and again in the holy books that God is everywhere.Then, why are you so upset? Any thing that is not utilized at the right moment is useless. The water that this dying donkey drank has reached straight to Lord Shiva in Rameshwaram!”