“Bhaurao, a five-rupee note is missing,” said Phadkebaba.

“I’ll look for it right away. I’ll search all the bags. Did you give it to anyone?” Bhau.

As this conversation was going on, Shyam, who was in his mother’s room, overheard it.

Soon, everyone had finished their meal. Aai was still eating. On her plate, there was a little rice left. Shyam, noticing this, said, “Aai, is that little rice enough for you? It seems there’s some left over today!”

“My child, I don’t feel like eating much today. There’s still work to do in the house. Somehow, I’ll fill my stomach. I keep waiting for the day when you will become great,” Aai replied.

“Aai, I really will become great. I will study hard. I will read a lot,” said Shyam.

“Study, but become good as well. These days, we see that educated people can also go astray. Even if you get a big position, you may fall. Even if you become great, you may fall; but you must become great in your heart. You must become great through your virtues—that is what I feel. That is what I pray to God for,” Aai answered, her voice sweet and full of love. Though she was uneducated, hearing such noble thoughts from her filled Shyam with wonder.

“Even if you become great, become virtuous.” This reply from Aai was etched in Shyam’s heart.

They beat just as one beats with a whip. They looked as if they had been whipped with a rope. There must have been some reason for such torn slippers. Shyam had developed a fondness for reading books. In Dapoli, he had found many good books to read. Around that time, books by Ram Tirtha had come into prominence. Through a relative, he managed to get hold of one part to read. He liked it very much. He wished he could buy all those books. By reading the old Marathi Puranas, his understanding had grown considerably. But he had no money to buy books. Even the necessary textbooks for his class were not enough for him. He did not have a dictionary either. The books by Ram Tirtha had deeply impressed him. He began to feel that he must have them for himself.

One day, he returned home from Dapoli. At that very time, two guests had arrived at their house. One of them was an acquaintance—a frequent visitor, Balwantrao Phadke. The other was a stranger. In the pocket of the stranger’s coat, there was money—a lot of notes. Without anyone noticing, he took out one of the notes. It was a five-rupee note. He knew that stealing was a sin! But he thought he would atone for this sin by doing the good deed of reading books.

That night, while the guest was counting his money, Shyam was teaching a shloka to his younger brother: “I am greatly attached to you, O ocean of compassion, grant me good intellect.” He was praying to God for wisdom, and