The great sage Vyasa was once sitting on the bank of the river Yamuna at Vrindavan. A few milkmaids were also waiting there. They had milk, butter, and curd with them to be sold in the villages on the other bank.
There was no ferry-boat in sight and the milkmaids were helpless. They approached Vyasya for help.
Vyasya said: “Yes, I’ll help you. In fact, I too have to go the other bank. But first, I am little hungry. Would you mind giving me some condensed milk and curd? You seem to have plenty with you.”
As soon as Vyasa had had his fill of milk and curd, the girls reminded him of his promise.
Vyasa walked up to the stream and with folded hands prayed: “Mother Yamuna! If I haven’t eaten anything, let you waters part to let us through.”
The girls laughed at Vyasa’s prayer. The sage had taken so much of their milk and curd and still he said, “If I haven’t eaten anything…” But suddenly, the stream parted, and there was a passage through it!
Vyasa was a wise man. He knew that he was essentially he Atman, separate from the body and mind. He knew that although his body and mind had participated in acts of eating or drinking, he himself had not.