Kabir

Kamal paid his respects to the image of Krishna by prostrating himself on the ground. With love in his heart, he prayed, "O God, grant me the opportunity to come here again to see and worship You." After his prayer, he immediately set off on his journey. As he walked, he came across the town of Chitrakut and decided to enter it.

In Chitrakut, there lived a merchant named Vishnudas, a devout worshipper of Vishnu, known for his piety and generosity. When Vishnudas heard about Kamal's arrival, he approached him with love and respect, paying his obeisance. Filled with a strong desire to welcome Kamal, Vishnudas took him to his home, washed his feet lovingly, and served him a meal. That night, a Hari kirtan (devotional singing) was arranged, and all the people of the town gathered to listen with love, their minds becoming absorbed in the devotional theme.

As Vishnudas pondered about what he could offer Kamal, he realized that a heap of money would hold no value to him. However, he had a precious diamond in his treasure house. Without hesitation, he brought the diamond and seated Kamal, placing it at his feet. Vishnudas said to him, "This small brilliant diamond can outshine lamps. Take it home and place it in your house. When you place it before you at night, there will be no darkness."

Kamal, humbly and with wisdom, replied, "Kabir would be displeased with me for being indifferent to worldly possessions. To my sight, diamonds and crystals appear the same. Why do you give it to me and urge me to take it? Money should be given to Brahmins, diamonds and jewels to kings, and food and gifts to living beings. You know this, for you are a wise man. Rope-dancers, jugglers, and players should be given old clothes. Holy men performing austerities should be given dry provisions of food. Sannyasis should be given daintily cooked food, yellow robes, and loin cloths. As worshippers of Vishnu, we are indifferent to worldly possessions, always content in our minds. With no desires in my heart, why do you force me to take this diamond? Why serve a meal to those who are already satisfied? Why not give it to those in distress from hunger? Just as a great cloud may rain upon the sea, but the sea has no need for it, you have brought and given me this diamond without any purpose."

While Kamal expressed his thoughts, the merchant prostrated himself on the ground before him, unbeknownst to Kamal, and secretly tied the diamond in Kamal's garment. Kamal bid farewell to the town of Chitrakut and returned to Benares. He entered his home and embraced Kabir's feet. Kamal's son placed the diamond before Kabir and recounted the events that had unfolded. Kabir was deeply affected by the story, and he immediately fainted, overcome with repentance and sorrow. His wife rushed to his side, holding onto his feet, and asked, "Why are you so troubled today? What have you witnessed that has brought forth this feeling of repentance in your mind?"

Turning away from his son, Kabir said to his wife, "It seems to me that our entire family lineage has been engulfed in shame. Our Kamal has tarnished our good name by selling it and bringing back this diamond. That is why, my dear wife, I am consumed by this sorrow. It is as if someone scattered musk in the marketplace but tied ashes in their own garment, or as if someone drove away a knowledgeable scholar of scriptures and replaced them with an ignorant fool, or as if someone discarded the sacred water of the Bhagirathi and instead took water from a washerman's pot, or as if one expelled the divine dweller from a sacred place and welcomed a thief in their stead. It is like abandoning worship of Vishnu and turning to a cemetery to worship a Vetal. It is like giving away books on Vedanta philosophy and bringing back immoral books. It is like exchanging the sandalwood of Mount Malaya for foul-smelling hingan. It is akin to giving shelter to deceitful traders and driving away those of virtuous character. It is like giving away the horse of the sun and accepting a washerman's donkey. It is like giving away sweet nectar and replacing it with curdled milk in one's vessel. Therefore, my heart tells me that our son, driven by a hidden desire, has committed a wrong. He has sold the name of Ram and brought back this diamond. That is why my heart is filled with grief, and I fainted to the ground."

Upon hearing his father's words, Kamal immediately returned to the place where the merchant resided and returned the diamond. He then went back home, bowed to his mother and father, and narrated everything that had transpired. When Kabir heard Kamal's story, he was overjoyed. Just as a good guru rejoices when their disciple becomes detached from worldly possessions, or a mother feels immense joy when her child recovers from illness, or when Shri Ram was delighted upon hearing of the bravery of Lava and Kusha, Kabir embraced Kamal, seeing him free from hindrances. Kamal, in turn, embraced Kabir's feet and devoted himself to the worship of Shri Ram.