The Student’s Dilemma
There was once a poor boy who attended school. During the annual Father’s Day ceremony, the teacher requested that the students contribute something. In those days, teachers, often brahmanas, did not earn a salary but received whatever the students brought from their homes or obtained by begging. Some students brought rice, and others brought crops, but this one student was so poor that he had nothing to offer.
Seeking Guidance
The boy approached his mother and told her about his dilemma. She replied, “My dear son, we are so poor that we cannot give anything. However, Krishna is the friend of the poor. If He gives you something, you can promise it to your teacher.”
The little boy asked, “Oh, where is Krishna?”
His mother said, “I understand that He is in the forest.”
The Boy’s Devotion
Determined, the boy went to the forest and called out for Krishna. He cried out with such earnestness that Krishna, touched by the boy’s devotion, appeared before him.
Krishna asked, “What are you asking for?”
The boy explained his situation, saying, “You are the friend of the poor. I am very poor, and what can I promise my teacher?”
Krishna then told him, “You can tell him that you will supply him some yogurt, some dahi.”
The Promise
The boy was satisfied with Krishna’s suggestion and promised his teacher, “I will supply you as much yogurt as you need.” The teacher was pleased with the boy’s promise.
The Miracle of Krishna
On the day of the ceremony, the boy went back to the forest and called for Krishna. Krishna appeared and gave him a quart of yogurt. The boy took the yogurt to his teacher.
The teacher, seeing the small amount of yogurt, became angry and spilled it out of the container. To his astonishment, the container refilled itself. He spilled it again, and it refilled once more. The teacher realized that the yogurt was spiritual, supplied by Krishna Himself.
Moral of the Story
This story illustrates the nature of Krishna and the spiritual world:
- Infinite Abundance:
- In the material world, one minus one equals zero. But in the spiritual world, one minus one equals one. This is called advaya-jnana, non-dual knowledge. Krishna’s generosity is infinite; no matter how much is taken, it remains full.
- Unconditional Service and Love:
- In the material world, relationships are often conditional. A servant serves as long as the master pays, and the master is pleased as long as the servant serves well. However, in the spiritual world, service and love are unconditional. The master is pleased even if the servant cannot serve, and the servant is pleased even if the master does not pay. This is the nature of absolute, non-dual love.
- Faith and Devotion:
- The boy’s unwavering faith and devotion to Krishna brought about a miraculous solution to his problem. This teaches us that sincere devotion and reliance on the divine can overcome material limitations.
Reflection
The story of the poor boy and Krishna reminds us that in the spiritual realm, abundance is infinite, and love is unconditional. Krishna’s generosity and the boy’s faith illustrate the profound truths of spiritual life. By embracing these principles, we can transform our understanding and experience of love, service, and abundance in our own lives.
Jai Sri Krishna!
