A Simple Life in the Pastures
In a peaceful village surrounded by lush meadows, there lived a cowherd named Gopāla. He was unlettered and poor, but he possessed a heart filled with faith and devotion. Every day, he would take his cows to graze and, before returning home, he would set aside a pot of fresh milk as an offering to Lord Viṣṇu.
Though there was no grand temple in the village, Gopāla would walk into a nearby forest clearing where he had placed a simple stone, which he lovingly worshiped as Lord Viṣṇu. With folded palms and innocent devotion, he would place the milk before the stone, chant the Lord’s name, and say, “O my Lord, please accept this humble offering.”
A Test of the Lord’s Mercy
One day, a wandering sage observed Gopāla performing this simple act. Curious, he asked, “Do you truly believe the Lord drinks this milk?”
Gopāla replied with firm faith, “Yes, every day. I leave the milk, and when I return later, it is gone. Surely, my Lord accepts it.”
The sage decided to test the matter. He hid behind a tree to watch. After Gopāla left, he saw a wild animal come and drink the milk.
Later, the sage confronted Gopāla, laughing gently, “O simple man, it is not Viṣṇu who drinks your milk—it is a forest creature.”
Gopāla looked down, heartbroken. Tears filled his eyes. “Then my Lord has never accepted my offering?” he whispered.
That night, with a heart full of sorrow, Gopāla went to bed with tears on his cheeks.
The Lord Appears
That very night, the sage had a vivid dream. Lord Viṣṇu appeared to him, glorious and resplendent, but with a stern expression.
The Lord said:
“You have committed a grave mistake. That simple cowherd offered Me milk with pure, childlike love. I personally accepted his offering, through the form of My creation. You, with all your knowledge, could not recognize his bhakti. Know this: I dwell not in stone or gold, but in the heart of My loving devotee.”
The sage awoke trembling, overwhelmed with realization. At dawn, he ran to Gopāla, fell at his feet, and begged forgiveness. “You are a true devotee,” he said, “and I am a mere scholar without devotion.”
The Devotee is Honored
From that day onward, the villagers began to honor Gopāla. He remained the same—humble, soft-spoken, and full of love for the Lord. When he passed away, a brilliant light arose from his body and a divine chariot arrived to carry his soul to Vaikuṇṭha.
Lessons to Be Learned:
- The Lord accepts even the simplest offering when it is given with devotion.
- Pure bhakti is not measured by rituals or knowledge, but by love and sincerity.
- The Lord reveals Himself more readily to the humble than to the proud.
- As confirmed in the Bhagavad-gītā: “na me bhaktaḥ praṇaśyati”
“My devotee is never lost.” (Bhagavad-gītā 9.31)
Origin of the Story: Padma Purāṇa – Stories glorifying innocent devotion and the Lord’s personal response to simple offerings given with love.
