In Thy Fee

“Mama, Mama! I want to tell you a story. Will you listen?” My five year old niece, Yashi came running to me just as I was about to leave for office. I saw my watch, and then I saw her face. And I wondered if a five year old ever expects No as a possible answer.

“Guess not, I can be late to office for a day.” I thought. Right now, I wasn't ready to break such a beautiful heart. So I took her in my lap and gave her a nod.

"Have you heard of Shravan Kumar’s story Mama?" She asked.

"Yes I'd heard it when I was your age, but I don't remember it very clearly now." I replied.

"I will tell you, Ms. Kavya told us yesterday in class." And thus she began.

Shravan Kumar was a young boy. His mummy-papa were old and blind. But he took very good care of them. Ms. Kavya says he was the best son ever. Once he took his mummy-papa to visit a temple far far away. He carried them in two baskets on his shoulders. They couldn't have walked so much. They were really old, you know!

On the way, his mummy-papa wanted to drink water. That time there were no water bottles. So he went to a river to get some water. One king was hunting nearby. When he heard someone at the river, he thought it was a deer and shot an arrow at Shravan Kumar by mistake. When the king realized what he had done, he felt very sorry. Shravan Kumar was hurt very badly, but he was a very good boy. He forgave the king, and asked him to take water to his mummy-papa. Then he died.

So the king took water to Shravan Kumar's old and blind parents and told them about his mistake. Shravan's mummy-papa became very sad when they heard their son had died, and they cursed the king that he would die longing for his son. After this, they too died because of grief for their son.

You know who the king was? He was Raja Dashrath—father of Bhagwan Ram. He later died longing for Bhagwan Ram.

Yashi concluded her story.

"Good story. I like it." I said smiling.

"But you know, what Ms. Kavya says? She says that Bhagwan Ram never cursed anyone and always forgave bad people, just like Shravan Kumar. Ram Bhagwan was the best man, but Shravan Kumar was the best son. That is because he loved his mummy-papa so much, and mummy-papa are Gods. Right na, Mama?" Yashi asked.

I was tempted to say Yes. That's what I was taught all my childhood, and that's true too...almost. But instead I decided to try my luck explaining a deeper truth to my young niece.

"But I think you are also God, my dear." I said.

"Hmm, Mummy also says I'm God. So we are all Gods—Mummy, Papa and me...and Bhaiya also. Mummy and Papa are big Gods and I'm small God, and Bhaiya is very small God."

I let out a big laugh.

"No dear. There's only one God."

"Then how can all of us be Gods?"

I looked around and found an almost perfect example.

"You see this glass of water; if I drink a gulp of it, what is inside me?"

"Water."

"What remains in the glass?"

"Water."

"What is in the bucket?"

"Water."

"What falls when it rains?"

"Water."

"What is in rivers and lakes and seas?"

"Water."

"So, water is in everything around you at the same time...except walls and stones."

"Umm…Yes."

"Now let's take these two glasses of water and put their water together. Can you separate their water now?"

"No."

"You are right. You can't separate the water because it has become one. Because water is always one, its same water that goes round and round on earth. And its the same water that was in both glasses before we mixed them, not different. God is like this water—God is in everything, including walls and stones; and God is one. It is present in everyone and everything at the same time."

"You mean Prajakta is also God? But she always fights with me. How can she be God?"

"Yes my dear, all of us have God inside us. When you love yourself and others, then God in you is awake and everyone can see it. But when you hate yourself or others, God in you is sleeping; and noone can see it."

"I understand it now, because Shravan Kumar's parents loved him, their God was awake and that's why he treated them like Gods?"

"Very right dear."

"When I love Mummy, my God is awake; that's why Mummy says I'm God."

"Excellent. I'm proud of you that you understand this idea. Always remember—Love is the only way to be like God. Love yourself—love everyone."