Jagaswami dons the Magic Turban

Jagaswami had been turned into a gorilla by the magic turban. He then managed to get it back from Spotty a moment ago. He raced from tree top to tree-top holding the turban on his head with one paw.

Then he felt funny ... wierd. Was it dangerous to wear this turban? It might have the powers of you-know-who in it? He took up his hand to take it off. As his hand reached his forehead he felt a pain in his neck and temple. The image of Krackiswami came in his mind. He felt pain for Krackiswami stuck in the doorway in the mansion.



He reached the mansion quickly, the only thought in his mind being the pain that Krackiswami was in. Krackiswami was angry, calling him all kinds of names behind his back. "Lord of the Apes, where did you go for so long?"
"Look i brought back the turban!"
"My lord, I would look, if I could turn my head. You may have noticed it is stuck in the doorway!"

As he said that Krackiswami managed to pry himself loose. He lay down on the floor exhausted. Jags went out and got him some grass to chew. Krackiswami was quite surprised at this behaviour. But you never knew what to expect with Jags.

Then Jags felt pain in his chest. He suddenly thought of Spotty. Spotty seemed to be sad due to some loss. But then Jagaswamy immediately tried to remove the thought of Spotty's pain from his mind. He did not want to feel Spotty's pain. As he tried to fight the thought of Spotty, he felt unrest, his mind felt disturbed, angry, unhappy.

He could not decide which thought was worse, feeling the pain of Spotty and wanting to help him, or feeling this mental anguish. This turban is controlling my thoughts, he thought. I must get rid of it. Then he thought of Spotty and felt like returning the turban. He was unable to decide.

He took the turban off, and ran out, and kept running. The thoughts alternating in his mind were driving him crazy. Presently, he saw a group of monkeys. He stopped. Let me give them this turban. Let them take on this trouble.

And so saying he thrust the turban into the hands of the leader of the startled monkeys. Now he felt much better.

aah, I feel lighter

Back at the ashram, Bhagavan was sitting, surrounded by a throng of devotees. He sensed someone far behind in pain. He looked carefully and called out to Spotty. A kind lady picked up Spotty, who was sobbing with his head bent, and deposited him in front of Bhagavan.
"Why are you so sad Spotty?"
Spotty didn't know what to say. Would Bhagavan be angry?

Then he lost his fear and spoke: today i felt naughty and picked up Arunacub's turban while they were sleeping. i wore it thinking i would get some new siddhis. I went out of the cave and then fell asleep. When i awoke the turban was gone. The troublesome swamis had stolen it. I managed to get it back from them, but they outwitted me again. Now when Arunacub comes to know its gone, he will never speak with me again!
So saying Spotty burst into a fresh round of tears. Bhagavan held Spotty and comforted him.

At that moment, the three cub brudders came running in. Spotty saw them and hid himself in Bhagavan's lap wishing he could just melt away or disappear!
"Bhagavan, we could not find Spotty! We were getting so upset then thought we would come to you for help!"
"Did you lose something precious, Arunacub", asked Bhagavan. The cubs look puzzled. "Where is your turban, Arunacub?", asked Bhagavan.
"Oh, we could not find that. But it doesn't matter to us. It will crop up somewhere."
"It doesn't matter to you?" asked Bhagava, surprised. "You've lost your turban and you are more upset about not finding Spotty."
"Well, there's nothing more precious than our Spotty.", said Arunacub.
Bhagavan smiled and became silent. The cubs peered at what was hiding inside Bhagavan's lap but could not make out.

At that moment, there was a rustle behind them. Hobbler and a group of monkey came barging in. Uncle Madhavaswami tried to shoo them away but they did not pay notice. "Bhagavan! Bhagavan!" called out Hobbler, "Some strange monkey gave us this turban. We didn't know what to do with it and it does look very nice. We thought someone may have lost it. Perhaps the owner will come back here asking about it."

So saying they laid it at Bhagavan's feet. But Arunacub did not seem relieved.
Suddenly from Bhagavan's lap peeped out a pair of eyes, and on seeing the turban out emerged Spotty.

The three cubs let out whoops of joy on seeing Spotty. "Oh, here you are! We were sooo worried!"
Bhagavan put the turban back on Arunacub's head. He mentioned that the turban looked very familiar to him, but he couldn't place where he had seen such a turban before.
Arunacub thought, I don't know where this turban went, and what happened to it since it vanished, but it sure feels even more comfortable than ever before.

Bhagavan told him, "The turban came back to you because you did not desire it. You cared more for friendship than the turban and its siddhis. It will always serve you as long as your heart is pure."

The cubs understood from this that love and friendship would bring more happiness than siddhis.