God

[Guest guest]

Dear Gopikrishna,

 

Bhakti is eternal.

 

A nice story and an eye opener to many who are still doubting the existence of

GOD.

 

With love and regards,

 

Sastry

 

 

--- On Mon, 1/12/09, Paritala Gopi Krishna <p_gopi_krishna wrote:

 

Paritala Gopi Krishna <p_gopi_krishna

www.telugubhakti.com God

 

Monday, January 12, 2009, 6:17 AM

 

Long time ago,lived a king in the south of India who was ruling over a

prosperous kingdom. He was a wise and intelligent king who appointed

the best advisors from every speciality and profession. He always

consulted them before any decision he made, except for the spiritual

advisor whom he never really new what to ask him about. So one day he

decides to put him to the test, as the other advisors where feeling

weary of him because he received many privileges and money but never

worked as they do.

 

So the king summons him to court and tells him, " I will ask you 3

questions, if you answer them correct, I will give you a raise and

keep you in my court. If you cannot answer, however, I will have you

hung from your neck in the public square for all to see, that

everybody knows we do not accommodate charlatans. "

 

The man was shaken but had no alternative other than to ask about

those three questions.

 

The King said, " The first question is, where is God and what is his

bungalow? the second is, what is his orientation, which direction is

he facing so we can address him? and finally, what is the nature of

his work, what does he do? "

 

The poor man knew that he is in deep trouble since he is not truly the

sage he claimed to be, he was originally encouraged by his

servant/slave to apply for this job to benefit from its privileges as

he was loosing his business and didn't know what to do. This post was

known to be hardly any job at all since the King had no real regard to

matters of spirit.

 

The Man, nevertheless, asks for a months notice for him to contemplate

and come back to the King with the right answers. The King agrees.

 

To cut a long story short, days have passed and no answer came to the

man no matter how long he prayed and searched in sacred books, he

looked worried and ghostly towards the end of the month. His young

servant kept asking him if he needed help but his ego wouldn't let

him. Finally, with one day left before the month notice, he confesses

to his servant. The servant to worry, and advised him not to go at

all, but send him, the servant, to the king as if with the answer. " I

will come up with something, " said the loyal servant, " If I am lucky,

then all would be well, if not, then the King will probably hang me

and send his guards looking for you. Meanwhile, you will have the time

to flee the country and save your neck. It is I who advised you to

take this post after all. "

 

After hesitation the man agrees, as there is nothing else to do.

 

Next day, the Old man packs his valuables and placed them by the door

to be ready to go any minute. The Servant, meanwhile, takes off to the

King. At the door, he informs them that he came to replace the wise

man, since he is in deep meditation for a week now and have NO TIME

for such trivial disputes. The King gets furious and attempts to

behead the insolent servant, when his advisors calm him down and asked

him to be patient, " Let as get along with him for amusement's sake

before he and his master are punished. The King like the idea, and

tells the servant to approach and answer the questions.

 

The servant comes forth and asks the king to repeat the questions

again to his ears so he may answer them properly. The King complies

and repeats the questions. " Hmmm, these are really deep questions me

Lord, fit only for a Guru. " said the servant, " In that case, and in

order to put things straight, and if you want a true answer to your

questions, you must address me as a Guru. " The King agrees but asks

how would that be. The servant said he demanded proper respect and

that if he is the Guru, then he is the one that should be sitting on

the throne while the King is at his feet as a humble student as it is

the tradition with Gurus. "

 

The King was about to kill him but the advisors again calmed him down

and reminded him that it was only a game.

 

So the King abides and steps down and allows the servant to sit in his

place. As if that was not enough, the servant again demanded that the

King repeats his questions this time with humbleness as if addressing

his Guru, so he may answer. The King grinds his teeth, but then does

as asked.

 

The Servant then asks for a bowl of milk and a candle and says:

 

For the first question, I want you to hold the bowl of milk, look at

it and ask it, where is the butter? The King replies, " The butter is in

the milk, it is within it and part of its consistency of course. " The

servant replies, " Well, such is God, within us, he is everywhere in

his creatures just like the butter is in the milk. "

 

The King starts to become interested and asks the second question. The

servant asks that the candle be placed in the middle of the room and

have all other light put off. They do that for him. Then he asks the

King. " Which direction is the candle facing? " and the King replies, " It

is facing all direction, wherever you go around it the flame is facing

you. " The servant replies, " Such is God, he wherever we look he is

facing us. "

 

This has become very interesting to the King who demands to hear the

answer of the third question.

 

The servant then boasts, " Can' t you see God's work? I am a servant of

your servant, sting on the throne of a mighty kingdom, and you the

King of Kings is sitting at my feet asking me to teach you about God? "

 

The King then rises up, and was so pleased by the depth of the

servant, and assumes that if the servant is that wise, how about his

master. He decides to award them both and sends back the servant with

the highest regards to the master.

 

The servant returned to his master and continued serving him as usual

until the master passed away.