[Resignation.] Live in the world like a dead leaf. As a dead leaf is carried by the wind into a house or on the roadside and has no choice of its own, so let the wind of Divine Will blow you wherever it chooses. Now it has placed you in the world, be contented.

[paragraph continues] Again when it will carry you to a better place, be equally resigned. The Lord has kept you in the world, what can you do? Resign everything to Him, even your own dear self; then all trouble will be over. You will see then that He is doing everything; everywhere is the will of Rama [**] (God).

[Parable of the pious weaver.] In a certain village there lived a weaver. He was very spiritual; everyone trusted and loved him. The weaver went to the market to sell his cloth. If a customer asked the price of it, he would say: "By the will of Rama the thread cost one Rupee, by the will of Rama the labor cost four Annas, by the will of Rama the profit is two Annas, by the will of Rama the price of the cloth as it stands is one Rupee and six Annas." People had such confidence in him that they would immediately pay the price and take the cloth. This man was a true devotee. At night after dinner he would sit for a long time and meditate on God and repeat His Holy Name. Once it was late into the night; he could not sleep;

he was sitting alone in the courtyard near the entrance, smoking. A gang of robbers was passing that way. They wanted a carrier, and seeing this man, they dragged him away with them. Then they broke into a house and stole a great many things, some of which they piled on the poor weaver's head. At this moment the watchman came up, the robbers ran away and the poor weaver with his load was caught. He had to spend that night in confinement. Next morning he was brought before the judge. The people of the village, hearing what had happened, came to see the weaver. They unanimously declared: "My lord, this man has not stolen anything." The judge then asked the weaver to describe what had occurred. The weaver said: "My lord, by the will of Rama, I was sitting in the courtyard; by the will of Rama it was very late in the night; I, by the will of Rama, was meditating upon God and repeating His Holy Name; when, by the will of Rama, a band of robbers passed that way; by the will of Rama they dragged me away with them; by the will of Rama they broke into a house; by the will of Rama they piled a load on my head; when, by the will of Rama, the watchman came up and, by the will of Rama, I was caught.