Sri Sathya Sai Baba Stories and Parables 25 - God does everything for the best

[Guest guest]

Source: Chinna Katha

http://www.saibaba.ws/stories/storiesparables.htm

 

There was once a Minister to a King who was in the habit of

declaring whatever happened was for one's good. One day the King cut

his finger while slicing a piece of sugar cane. Seeing the bleeding

finger the Minister said as usual " God does everything for the

best " . The King flew into a rage and said " Here I am suffering with

the pain of a bleeding finger and you say God does everything for

the best. Enough of your philosophy. Is this the way of consoling

me? How can this be for the best when the pain is intense and real?

The King immediately committed the Minister to prison. Even then the

Minister said calmly " Even this sentence is for my best. "

 

A few days later, the King went alone for hunting in a forest. When

the hunting expedition was over the King was resting under a tree.

Just then the servants of a certain tribal chief of the forest

seized the King, bound his hand and foot. The King questioned

them: " Why do you bind me? What are you going to do with me? " The

tribesmen replied: " We are going to sacrifice you at the altar of

our goddess Kali. It is the custom to offer her a human sacrifice

once a year. The time has arrived. We have been looking out for a

human being. We are fortunate in having found you. " The King

remonstrated: " Let me go, I am the King of the realm, you cannot

kill me for the sacrifice. " The tribesmen laughed and said: " We are

glad that this year's sacrifice would be unique and our goddess will

be highly pleased because we are going to offer as sacrifice a great

personage. "

 

The King was carried and duly placed on a sacrificial altar. Things

were ready for the death blow; the priest noticed the bandage on his

left hand forefinger. They removed the bandage only to find that a

portion of it was cut. The priest said: " This man is not acceptable

as a sacrifice to our goddess. A man with a defect in his body is

not fit for sacrifice. Set him free. "

 

The King remembered the words of the Minister uttered when his

finger was cut " God does everything for the best. " He realised that

the injury to his finger alone had saved him from death. He at once

hurried home and went straight to the prison to set the Minister

free. He said, " I seek your forgiveness for the rash and cruel

treatment accorded to you. " The Minister said: " Your Majesty; you

have done no harm. There is nothing to forgive. " The King once again

questioned: " Why did you say that my sending you to prison is for

your good? " The Minister replied: " If I had not been confined in

prison, I would have accompanied you when you went for hunting. I

would have been in your Company. When the tribesmen came to know

that you were unfit for sacrifice, they would have chosen me and

offered me as a sacrifice. So God does everything for the best. "