"'May I please have a cool cup of water for my master,' he called. 'We are wandering sannyasins and have no home on this earth.'

"A wondrous maiden answered his call and looked at him with undisguised adoration. 'Ah,' she whispered, 'you must serve that holy saint upon the far mountain. Please good sir, enter my house and bestow your blessing therein.'

"'Forgive my rudeness,' he answered, 'but I am in haste. I must return to my master with his water immediately.'

"'Surely, just your blessing won't upset him. After all he is a great holy man, and as his disciple you are obligated to help those of us who are less fortunate. Please,' she repeated, 'just your blessing for my humble house. It is such an honor to have you here and to be enabled to serve the lord through you.'

"So the story goes, he relented and entered the house and blessed all therein. And then it was time for dinner and he was persuaded to stay and further the blessing by partaking of her food, thereby making it also holy. And since it was so late and so far back to the mountain, and he might slip in the dark and spill the water, he was persuaded to sleep there that night and get an early start in the morning. But in the morning, the cows were in pain because there was no one to help her milk them, and if he could just help her this once – after all, cows are sacred to the lord Krishna and should not be in pain – it would be so wondrous.

"And days became weeks, and still he remained. They were married and had numerous children, he worked the land well and brought forth good harvests. He purchased more land and put it under cultivation, and soon his neighbors looked to him for advice and help and he gave it freely. His family prospered, temples were built through his effort, schools and hospitals replaced the jungle, and the valley became a jewel upon the earth. Harmony prevailed where only wilderness had been and many flocked to the valley as news of its prosperity and peace spread throughout the land."