A Life of Simple Service
In the royal city of Vārāṇasī, there lived a washerman, a humble man of simple means. Each day he would wash the clothes of the townspeople by the riverbank, hanging them to dry on long lines strung between trees. Though poor, he was peaceful and kind, offering water and assistance to pilgrims who came to bathe in the Gaṅgā.
One day, a Vaiṣṇava sādhu stopped to rest near the river and observed the washerman’s gentle nature. As he departed, the sādhu gifted him a wilted garland of tulasī and flowers, previously offered to Lord Viṣṇu in his pūjā. He said softly, “Even touching this will bless you.”
The Moment of Offering
The washerman looked at the garland, unaware of its sacred value. Still, feeling honored by the gift, he carried it home, strung it again with fresh flowers from his courtyard, and placed it in a small alcove where he stored a picture of Lord Hari, which his grandmother had worshipped long ago.
With folded hands, he offered the garland to the picture, saying, “O Lord, please accept this simple gift from a poor man.”
He didn’t realize that this garland had already been offered in devotion, and by offering it again with sincerity, he had doubled its potency with his own bhakti.
The Lord’s Response
Years passed. The washerman remained unknown to the world, but each morning, he offered some small flower, leaf, or sandalwood paste to the Lord’s picture. Eventually, when he passed away, no grand ceremony marked his departure.
But from the sky descended Viṣṇudūtas, bearing shining garlands and golden chariots. They declared:
“This soul offered to the Lord what had already been offered, but did so with simple devotion and sincerity. He honored prasāda, respected the Vaiṣṇava who gave it, and worshiped the Lord with love. Thus, the Lord, pleased with his bhāva, has granted him eternal residence in Vaikuṇṭha.”
The city remained unaware of this divine ascension, but in the spiritual realm, the Lord embraced the washerman with love, for his service was pure.
Lessons to Be Learned:
- The Lord sees only the sincerity of our heart, not the grandeur of our offerings.
- Even a reused or humble gift, when offered with faith, becomes supremely pleasing to the Lord.
- Prasāda, the remnants of worship, when accepted reverentially, purifies the soul and pleases the Lord.
- As declared in the Gītā (9.26): “patraṁ puṣpaṁ phalaṁ toyaṁ yo me bhaktyā prayacchati / tad ahaṁ bhakty-upahṛtam aśnāmi prayatātmanaḥ”
“If one offers Me with love and devotion a leaf, a flower, fruit, or water, I will accept it.”
Origin of the Story: Padma Purāṇa – Stories section illustrating how the Lord accepts even the simplest acts of worship, if performed with sincerity and love.
