तपोमूल्यम् Value of Penance

पावनावनेः भारतखण्डस्य वङ्गभूमौ नैके महापुरुषाः प्राप्तजन्मानः | परमहंसः रामकृष्णः तेषु अन्यतमः | एकोनविंशे क्रैस्तशताब्दे जीवितः सः महाकालीभक्तः | ध्यानैकतत्परस्य तस्य अणिमादिसिद्धयः हस्तगता इति प्रतीतिरासीत् | तथापि सः कदापि स्वतपोबलं न प्रदर्शयति स्म |

एकदा प्रयाणप्रसङ्गे नदीं तितीर्षुः रामकृष्णः नदीतीरं प्राप्नोत् | तदानीमेव महायोगी एकः तत्र आगमत् | रामकृष्णः नाविकाय आतररूपं रूप्यकमेकं दत्त्वा नौकया कूलान्तरं प्राप्नोत् | परन्तु सः योगी तु स्वयोगबलात् जलोपरि चलित्वा अन्यत् तीरं प्राप्तः | योगिनः तद् अद्भुतकार्यं दृष्ट्वा जना मूकविस्मिता जाताः | गर्वितमनाः सः योगी रामकृष्णं प्रति विकत्थमानः उवाच - "दृष्टं भोः मम जलोपरि गमनम्? त्रिंशद्वर्षैः उग्रतपोभिः साधितमेतत् सामर्थ्यं मया | तव योगसाधनेन किं प्रयोजनम्?"

तच्छ्रुत्त्वा स्मयमानो रामकृष्ण उवाच - "हे योगिमहाशय, यद्भवता महता कष्टेन साधितं जलतरणं तस्य मूल्यं केवलं रूप्यकमेकम् | जीवनस्य बहुमूल्यसमयं व्यतीत्य त्वं निष्प्रयोजकविद्यां प्राप्तवान् | तदेव समयः भगवच्चिन्तने संगच्छते चेत् जन्म एव सार्थकं भवति" |

व्रीडितो योगिवर्यः ततः नतमस्तकः निर्जगाम |

English translation:
In the Bengal area of the holy Indian continent, many great people were born. Paramahamsa Ramakrishna was one of them. He lived in the 19th CE and was a devotee of Goddess Mahakali. He was always focused in meditation and it was known that he had many mystical powers. Even then, he never used to show his special powers.

Once, during a journey, desiring to cross a river, Ramakrishna reached the river bank. At the same time, a great yogi came there. Ramakrishna gave one rupee as a fee, and reached the other side of the river by a boat. But that yogi with his yogic power, walked on the water and reached the other shore. Seeing the astonishing act of the yogi, the people were awestruck. Full of pride, the yogi boastingly said to Ramakrishna - "Did you see me walking on the water? This ability was attained by me after thirty years of heard penance. What is the use of your yogic meditation?"

Hearing that, Ramakrishna said smilingly - "Hey great yogi, the walking-on-water that you achieved by great difficulty is worth only one rupee. After spending  great valuable time of life, you obtained a worthless knowledge. If you spend the same amount of time in the spiritual thoughts, your life itself would be meaningful".

Ashamed, the yogi went away from there with his head hanging down.