Truth Wins the Grace of God

Nowadays, service has become more talk and less deed. But, the Lord cannot be deceived. He is vigilant and all-knowing. Once, Parameshwara and Parvati were going along the sky over Varanasi, on a Sivaratri Day. There were millions of pilgrims crowding the ghats and narrow lanes of the Holy City. The precincts of the Vishweshwara temple were filed with devoted men and women, singing the praise of Siva. Parvati turned to Her Lord and said, “Look at these millions of human beings. They are all certain to win Heaven, for they are full of devotion and they are here on this sacred day. I wonder if Heaven can accommodate all of them.” Siva laughed at Her innocence.

He said, “If everyone, who comes to Varanasi on Sivaratri Day can secure Heaven, then Varanasi will be Heaven. These people are all so saturated with selfish desires that not one of them can even hope to have access to Heaven. Can a thief, who steals and purchases a ticket to Varanasi with the stolen money, reach Heaven? Purity, prema, truth, these alone can open the gates of Bliss. Come on, I shall prove My thesis that very few of these can ever enter Heaven. Let us go into the city as an old decrepit beggar-pair.”

And in one of the lanes that led to the temple, in full sight of the hundreds, who filed along with the holy Ganga water in their hands, for being poured ceremonially on the Linga in the Vishweshwara Temple, an old man lay on the lap of his aged wife, rolling his tongue in the agony of extreme thirst and the woman was appealing piteously for water for her dying husband. “Water, water, give this man a mouthful and save him for me,” was the cry. Not one of the devout came near to relieve his distress. Many cursed her for her shrill importunity. Some asked her to keep off the road. A few said they will give him water after finishing worship in the temple. A large number swore that beggary must be made a crime and the police must clean the lanes of this nuisance. One or two people laughed and remarked that the lady was putting up a good show to attract attention. No heart melted at the woes of the helpless pair.

At last, one man, moved by sympathy, came near them. He was a pickpocket, who had come to Varanasi Ghats to ply his wicked trade. He knelt by the side of the old man and pulled out a dried gourd full of water. That was his water bottle. But, Parvati wanted to test whether he had other virtues, too. So, She said, “Thank you, dear brother, but My husband will drink the water you give, only when you describe some good deeds you have done so far, while pouring the water into his parched mouth. He is about to die, so tell him of some good deed you have done in your life and offer the merit of that to him, when you give him the water.” The hardened thief replied, “No, I have done no good deed so far. This is the first time my heart has melted at another’s misery. Let the Lord of Varanasi, Vishweshwara, in the temple yonder, be my Witness,” he said and poured the precious water. At that, the Lord appeared in His real form and Parvati, too, rose as the Goddess. They blessed him as the only person entitled to Heaven out of that motley throng of millions of empty hearts. Truth and Prema won for him the Grace of God.

Questions :

1. Describe the conversation between Lord Siva and Parvati.
2. What was the plan of the Divine parents?
3. Who came forward to help?
4. What did he do?