On the bank of a river there lived an old Sadhu. He was very gentle and helping in nature. He felt very sad when he found someone suffering. He never harmed anyone. Nor did he speak ill of others. The Sadhu was extremely polite and soft spoken. He never got angry even when someone criticised him or spoke to him harshly. The Sadhu also did not accept anything, which belonged to other persons. The poors came to him for his blessings. He prayed to God and they became rich. His prayers made sick people healthy. He prayed for the weak and they became strong. He prayed for the blind and they began to see. He prayed for the cripple and they were able to walk.
God bestows supernatural talents upon such persons who are pure in mind and never think of harming others. Millions of people around the world pray daily to God asking for something or the other but God answers only to the prayers expressed through heart and with a pure mind. If one desires to have God’s grace for something, one has to develop a habit of purity of thoughts, words and deeds. On the other hand, if one is cunning and has a habit of lying, God considers his prayer also as a lie. Prayers of liars and wicked and selfish persons do not yield results.
God also gives extraordinary powers to people who help others. If one sincerely prays for helping others without any selfish personal interest, God immediately sends help in some way. HE removes the difficulties faced by the one who helps others and also inspires many other persons to work with him.
If the devotee has a pure mind and loves everyone, God makes his wishes come true. When a person loves everyone, speaks kindly, politely and sweetly to everyone, never harms anyone and works only for the welfare of others, God gives that person supernatural powers. Only such a person is regarded as a true devotee by God. Whatever a true devotee wishes, God makes it happen.
Coming back to the story: One day when Sadhu was taking a bath in the river near his hut, he saw a small mouse drowning in the water. The mice could not swim. It was weeping and praying to God to save it from death. Since the mice were praying with a pure heart, God heard its prayers and decided to help through a devotee.
The Sadhu heard the wailing of the drowning mice. Driven by pity, he gently took the mice out of water and brought them to his hermitage. Under the loving care of the Sadhu, the mice gradually grew up to become an adult mouse. The Sadhu named it Mickey. Mickey became so attached to the Sadhu that it followed him everywhere like a faithful dog.
One day, Sadhu said to the mouse, “Mickey! Now you are grown up. You should learn to live alone.” Mickey said, “Sir! I cannot live alone. During the night when I am lonely in the hole of my residence, I feel scared. Fear keeps me awake throughout the night.”
The Sadhu said, “What do you fear? You should never be afraid of anything. You must have faith in God who has created you. You cannot see God, but HE is everywhere to protect you. HE protects everyone. Didn’t HE send me to save you when you were drowning in the river? ”
Mickey said, “Sir! I cannot see God. You saved me. Therefore, I feel protected when I find you near me. I wish for someone who I can see and who is as strong as you, to always be near me.”
Sadhu smiled and said, “I am very busy. I have to spend a lot of time in prayers, meditation and religious rituals. Therefore I cannot always remain by your side. However, I can pray to God to provide you with the company of someone who is strong and powerful.” Mickey said, “Sir! If you cannot give me company all the time, please find someone who is as powerful as you to protect me.”
The Sadhu replied, “Very well! I will pray to God to send someone to protect you. When I find one who is strong and powerful, I will call you. But you will have to make a choice and tell me who you would like to have for your company?”
Next morning, at sunrise, the Sadhu called Mickey. Pointing out at the sun, he said, “ Look! Would you like to have the sun as your protector?
Sun is the most powerful. Without the light, heat and energy of the sun, nothing on earth can survive. If the sun was not there, no plant could grow. In absence of sun all insects, birds, animals and human beings will have nothing to eat. They will die of hunger. The sun rays also protect everyone from disease. If there were no sun, all of them would become sick and die.
The energy of the sun gives strength to the body and mind of all living things. That is why; God has made the arrangement of alternating day and night. During the day, all living beings draw in energy from the sun for physical and mental strength for working. The nights are meant for physical rest. Those who sleep during the day after sunrise cannot become strong and wise.
At dawn, the sun rays transmit special energy. That is why it is said, “Early to bed and early to rise makes one healthy, wealthy and wise. Only a healthy person can become wealthy and wise. The sun is so powerful. Would you like to have the sun as your friend?”
Mickey said, “No Sir! The sun is too hot. It is a ball of fire. When the sun is there I feel very uncomfortable. It is so hot that I have to find shade. How can I stay near the sun? I want someone for company who is cool. Who can also save me from heat.”
On the next day, there was a cloud in the sky. The sadhu called the mouse and said, “Look up at the sky. The cloud has covered the sun. It does not permit the heat of the sun to reach the earth. Isn’t the cloud more powerful than the sun? What about having the cloud as your companion?
Mickey asked, “How did the cloud appear? It was not there yesterday.” The Sadhu replied, “When the rays of the sun fall on wells, ponds, lakes, rivers and seas on the earth, the water gets heated up and is changed into steam. The steam rises up and up in the air towards the sky. High up in the air, the drops of water in the steam collect up as clouds.
Would you like the cloud to stay with you? It will protect you from the heat of the sun and also provide you with water when you become thirsty.”
But Mickey was not satisfied. He said, “Sir! It is true that the cloud will keep me cool and save me from the heat of the sun and give me water, but it will also make me wet. It will bring down rain and make me wet. The snow will make me cold. I would require air to dry me up. Therefore please find a friend who is more powerful than the sun and the cloud.”
The Sadhu said, “Okay! I will try to search for someone who is more powerful than the cloud and can provide you with air.” After a few days, the Sadhu again called Mickey. It was a cool windy day. The wind was blowing fast. Trees were swaying back and forth because of the force of wind. It had also uprooted many trees.
The Sadhu said, “Look Mickey! The wind is so powerful; it is moving everything with it. The wind has also chased the cloud away. Would you like to have wind for your company?”
Mickey said, “I see that the wind is stronger than the cloud. But there is one problem. The wind also creates dust and snowstorms. During the dust- storm, the dust gets into my eyes and I cannot see. When there is a snowstorm, I am afraid of getting buried in snow. Therefore I need someone who is more powerful than the sun, the cloud and the wind?”
The Sadhu said, “I will tell you who protects you from the heat, rain, snow, dust and wind. Please show me the place where you live.” Mickey asked the Sadhu to accompany him to his rat hole, which was his residence. Reaching there he said, “Is it not the place where you are safe from heat, cold, rain, snow and wind? God has provided you with this safe, comfortable place for living right from the day you were born. Here you don’t have to bear the heat of the sun, rain, snow, or cold during winter or dust storms from the wind.
When God creates a living being, he also makes a provision for its food and protection beforehand. HE provides fresh, warm milk in the body of the mother to feed the baby. He gives physical and mental strength to the young parents for bringing up their sons and daughters.
When the little infants grow up, God gives enough intelligence and knowledge to them to protect themselves without the help of their parents. However, God helps only on one condition. You should never harm or destroy anything created by HIM.
If you have faith in God and do not harm anyone or destroy any natural thing made by God, you will never have anything to fear. God will always protect you, wherever you are.
Fear is always due to ignorance. You feel afraid when you do not know the reality of things. A rope in darkness looks like a snake. The shape of a moving bush in the dark appears like a ghost.
A faith in God removes your ignorance. It makes you see the reality of things. Try to protect everything created by God. Believe that whatever is happening in this world is as HE wants it to happen. Nothing can happen without HIS knowledge and will. Always remember that HE is always there near you. Then you will never be afraid of anything.
MORAL – Fear is always because of ignorance. Those who believe in God and have true faith in HIM and therefore always do good works are never afraid of anything.
