Champaklal's Treasures

My Sacred Thread

As you know I have always worn the sacred thread, yajñopavita. One day it occurred to me that I could do without it. But as I was thinking of removing it, the idea came: How can I remove it when Sri Aurobindo has touched it so many times?

I must explain. When, after the accident, he used to walk daily, he would support himself by keeping his hand on my shoulder, around the neck. It was at that time that his hand touched my sacred thread. Naturally only that part which came under his palm was being touched. Each day I would mark the portion that was so touched and the next day place the next portion near my neck. Thus the entire thread came to be touched by him. I had done the same with my tulasi-mālā.

To come back to the story. So, I gave up the thought of removing the thread. But again another thought arose in my mind:

Why the thread only? He has touched my body so often; and that body is going to go one day!

However, I did not remove the thread myself. It got torn by use. I have still kept it safe.