GOD'S THINKING

GOD ALWAYS ENJOYS HIS PARAMA BHAKTHAS (INTENSE DEVOTEES WITH FAITH) TO EXHIBIT THEIR IMMENSE FAITH TO THE WORLD. HE IS ALWAYS WITH PEOPLE WHO HAS UNFLINCHING, UNPERTURBED LOYALTY TOWARDS THE LORD AND HE ADORNS AND ADOPTS THEM.

IN ONE OCCASION, NARADA MAHARISHI ASKED LORD VISHNU WHOM HE CONSIDERS AS HIS PARAMA BHAKTHA WHO IS PRIME AND PRINCIPAL DEVOTEE SO THAT HE CAN RECOGNIZE HIM. THE LORD SMILINGLY TOLD HIM, "BEFORE I GIVE THE ANSWER, YOU SHOULD VISIT AND SEE ONE PERSON AND ON COMING BACK I WILL BE ABLE TO REPLY YOUR QUESTION."

NARADA VISITED THE PLACE IN BHOOLOGA (EARTH), AND SAW A MAN WHO PICKED THE FIREWOOD FROM NEARBY FOREST AND SELLS IT TO THE PEOPLE AND ON THE EARNINGS, TAKES CARE OF AGED PARENTS, WIFE AND THREE CHILDREN. NARADA OBSERVED HIM CLOSELY FOR COUPLE OF DAYS, CHANTING THE NAME OF "OM NAMO NARAYANA" FIVE TIMES IN A DAY, WHEN HE WAKES UP, PRAYING, AT THE TIME OF HAVING FOOD, BEFORE SELLING THE FIREWOOD,AND FINALLY BEFORE GOING TO BED. LORD NARADA GOES BACK TO VAIKUNTAM AND NARRATES TO THE LORD WHAT HE OBSERVED. HE SAID "I DID NOT SEE ANYTHING SIGNIFICANT AND HE UTTERS YOUR NAME ONLY FIVE TIMES A DAY WHERE AS I ALWAYS CHANT AND THINK ABOUT YOU".

WITH THE SMILE ON HIS FACE THE LORD ASKED NARADA TO BRING A VESSEL FULL OF WATER, AND TOLD HIM TO GO ALL OVER VAIKUNTAM WITHOUT SPILLING THE WATER ON THE GROUND AND AND ASKED HIM TO SEE HIM AGAIN. NARADA DID THE SAME AND WAS ENQUIRED BY THE LORD HOW MANY TIMES HE SPILLED THE WATER FROM THE VESSEL. NARADHA SAID INSPITE OF EXTRA CARE WATER GOT SPILLED TWICE. LORD QUIETLY REPLIED BACK "DURING THE PERIOD OF GOING AROUND THE VAIKUNTAM HOW MANY TIMES DID YOU CHANT MY NAME?"

NARADA REPLIED BACK SAYING, "HOW IS IT POSSIBLE FOR ME TO NARRATE YOUR NAME WHEN I WAS ATTENDING THE WORK DESIGNATED BY YOU AND MY FULL CONCENTRATION ON IT. EVEN WITH BEING CAUTIOUS AND EXTRA CAREFUL, I SPILLED THE WATER TWICE. I COULD NOT CHANT YOUR NAME AT ALL. LORD VISHNU CLEARLY TOLD NARADA YOU ARE ALWAYS MY BAKTHA BUT FIREWOOD MAN IS MY PARAMA BHAKTHA. HE GLORIFIES ME EVEN IN VERY HECTIC SCHEDULES, THE BAKTHA WHO REMEMBERS THE SUPREME IS AN ARDENT, ADMIRABLE DEVOTEE AND LORD PROTECTS HIM THROUGH OUT THEIR LIFE AS HE WAS DOING HIS DUTY AND STILL MAKES TIME TO GLORIFY THE ALMIGHTY.