A certain monk living in a forest tract in Kosala was held in very high esteem (ajjhogálhappatto) by a certain family. A deva of the forest, wishing to urge him to greater effort, went to the monk in the guise of the housewife (kulagharaní) of the family, and asked him why it was that people spent their time in endless talk. Was he not disturbed by it? The monk answered that a recluse should not be disturbed by other people's talk (S.i.201).
The Commentary (SA.i.227) explains that the monk was already an arahant, but the devatá did not know it and could not therefore understand why he spent his time in visiting householders, hence her question wishing to make him live in solitude.