You are currently viewing The Story of a Brahmin and the Dry Ganga

There is this story of a Brahmin in the Skanda Purana, who undertook a pilgrimage tour of temples and Holy Rivers, after leasing his house to some Pravakthas who had come to his village for a Bhagavatha Sapthaham.

He managed to reach Kasi and went to take bath in River Ganga.

To his surprise he found the Ganga to be dry.

While he was wondering what is wrong, because his understanding was that Ganga will always have water in it, some punditas were coming after their bath in Ganga.

He asked them where they took bath.

They replied that Ganga is flowing with full majesty and they took their bath.

Then our poor brahmin realised that he might have done some sin because of which he is not able to see Gangaji.

He wanted to clarify it and went to one realized soul, who was calling for Ganga and the River goddess Ganga came for his service, all the Holy River and Devatas were serving him in his Ashrama.

Wondered, our brahmin asked him what he had done to get the services of these River Goddesses.

That Punya Atma replied that he did not know anything, my father used to read Srimad Bhagavatham regularly and after he passed away, as I do not know how to read Bhagavatham, all I did was placing the Holy Book in the Pooja room and offer few flowers and Tulasi leaves to it every day.

The brahmin realised his mistake, the Bhagavatha Sapthaham was going on in his village and he set out to see the Punya Theerthas ,not knowing that where Bhagawan’s stuthies are chanted, all the Divya Kshetras and Divya Theerthas assemble to give their blessings.

Moral of the story:

So our Gurus say that the God can not be seen by our mortal eyes and even if sound is Brahmam, “Natha Brahmam”, it can not be heard by our physical ears.

mukam karoti vacalam
pangum langhayate girim
yat krpa tam aham vande
sri gurum dina-taranam

It is possible if we become obedient student of guru, then even though we may be dumb, deaf and dumb, still, we can become good lecturer. Mukam karoti vacalam, talk very much about Krsna. This is Krsna’s grace, mukam karoti… Pangum langhayate girim, if one is lame man, he is made to cross over the hill, mountain. This is the mercy of guru.

So bhakti, or cultivation of spiritual knowledge, is never subjected by any material things. Ahaituky apratihata. No material thing can check us in our progress in Krsna consciousness. It is not possible. Simply follow the instruction of Krsna consciousness, man-mana bhava mad-bhakto mad-yaji mam namaskuru [Bg. 18.65]. Follow the rules and regulations and everything will be clear, very crystal clear. There will be no impediment.

Hare Krishna, Hare Krishna, Krishna Krishna, Hare Hare
Hare Rama, Hare Rama, Rama Rama, Hare Hare.

PS: I humbly request all the devotees to please forward and share this moral / instructive stories they hear so that everyone can be benefited by hearing about Krishna and his dear devotees.

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