The Intelligent Beggar

Two sages lived in an ashram. One day, after their prayers, when they were about to eat their food, a beggar came to them. He begged for food but the sages refused saying they had no food for him.

The beggar asked, "O respected saints , may I ask you , whom do you worship?" They replied, "We worship pawan, the wind god, who is also prana (the breath of life)." He then asked, "Whom did you offer this food to before eating it yourself ?" They said "We offered it to pawan or prana."

At this, the beggar said, "I hope you know that prana is present in all living creatures."

The sages replied , "Yes, we know that." The beggar then said, "By denying food to prana who is present in me and for whom you have prepared it, you are also denying your offerings to Him" The sages listened carefully to what the beggar was saying.

The sages were very ashamed at their ignorance and offered to share their food with the beggar.