A Guru once instructed his eight disciples to make a copy of His teachings from a notebook that he had maintained. One of the eight disciples, due to an easy going life that he had led before, entrusted the job to a fellow disciple to do the job for him as well, by paying him a few rupees.

The Guru on identifying two notebooks carrying the same handwriting demanded an explanation from the two disciples. The disciple came out with the truth that he had asked his fellow disciple to do his job. The Guru said though truthfulness is a great virtue essential for an aspirant, earnestness in the path should definitely be coupled with it.

The master with regards to the payment the disciple had made to his fellow disciple to whom he had entrusted the job expected of him, said that salvation costed much more. He further dismissed the student saying that he was at liberty to purchase 'liberation' elsewhere rather than getting tutored under him. The student was thus disqualified from attending the class.

The story was told by Bhagavan Ramana Maharshi to His disciples on seeing one of His disciples making an earnest note of the Ulladhu Narpadu (Fourty Versus On Reality), squatting on the floor and engaged in continuous writing for quite a length of time.