Based on The Faith Book by Kadamba Kanana Swami
A Sacred Gathering
In a forest āśrama, where the wind carried mantras on its breath and the trees echoed the sound of the Vedas, a great sage sat surrounded by disciples. His white beard flowed like the Ganges, his words cut through illusion like thunder.
People came from far-off lands to hear him speak.
One day, as he lectured on the glories of bhakti, he paused and said, “Today, I will show you the greatest devotee I know.”
His students leaned forward. Would he name a king? A yogī? A sannyāsī?
Instead, the sage said, “She will arrive shortly. Wait and watch.”
A Humble Entrance
As the sun began to set, a woman entered the āśrama. She was simple—her sari patched, her face tired, her hands carrying a small basket of grains. And her hair was tied not with gold or thread, but with the tail of a mouse.
Gasps of disbelief spread through the crowd. “That is the great devotee?” they whispered.
She bowed to the Deities and took a corner seat, softly chanting.
The sage rose and said, “This woman is the most surrendered soul I have seen. She serves the Lord with complete detachment. Nothing shakes her devotion.”
The Test of Renunciation
He then called her forward and said, “Tell them why you use a mouse’s tail to tie your hair.”
She bowed and said gently, “I once used silk. But I feared I had become proud. So I switched to cotton. But then I still felt elegant. So I used rope. Even that brought some pride. At last, I found the tail of a dead mouse. It is useless to the world. With that, I tie my hair. And now my mind is free.”
The crowd was stunned. Her renunciation was not just external—it was rooted in deep inner honesty and detachment.
A Lesson in Humility and Bhakti
This story reveals a hidden gem of devotional life: true humility is not self-hatred—it is self-awareness. This devotee was not trying to impress anyone. She was only trying to remove all that distracted her from remembering the Lord.
Her act was odd, even shocking—but her heart was radiant with sincerity.
The Sage’s Declaration
The sage turned to his disciples. “You speak of dharma, yoga, and knowledge. But here is someone who seeks only to please the Lord, stripping away every ounce of ego.”
“Such souls,” he continued, “carry Kṛṣṇa in their heart more securely than the most learned brāhmaṇa.”
A Verse to Remember
tṛṇād api sunīcena
taror iva sahiṣṇunā
amāninā mānadena
kīrtanīyaḥ sadā hariḥ“One should chant the holy name of the Lord in a humble state of mind, thinking oneself lower than the straw in the street.”
— Śikṣāṣṭaka 3
Bhakti does not bloom in the soil of pride. It grows where there is genuine humility, even if that means tying one’s hair with the tail of a mouse.
