28 - Helpful During Trouble

It so happened one afternoon. Bhaishri was sitting on a cot laid under a tree. His nephew Govind Bhakta arrived. Bhaishri inquired, ‘Govind! Son! What brings you here?’ Govind replied, ‘Bapa, I have come for your Darshan.’

Bhaishri adviced, ‘Darshan of God is the most blissful. We should be more attached to the idol of God.’ Govind Bhakta said, ‘All right Bapa. Please bless me.’ Bhaishri blessed him, ‘Bless you son!’

Govind Bhakta requested, ‘Bapa, please assign me some service.’ Bhaishri replied, ‘There is no work.’ Govind Bhakta insisted, ‘Bapa, Assign me any task, please, oblige me.’

Bhaishri asked, ‘There is one chore, could you do that?’ Govind Bhakat replied eagerly, ‘Yes of course, Bapa, please, tell me.’ Bhaishri pointed out, ‘Son! See. There is a banyan tree next to the well. Look at one of the branches. It is hanging right on the top of the well.’

Govind Bhakta replied, ‘Yes Bapa, I can see that. The branch has grown very big.’ Bhaishri continued, ‘Birds sit on that branch and spoil the water of the well. Could you cut that branch?’

Govind Bhakta replied enthusiastically, ‘Bapa, I will cut it right now!’ Govind Bhakta climbed the tree with an axe. He began to cut the branch. Bhaishri was sitting on a cot and watching him. Bhaishri cautioned him, ‘Son! Be careful! Sit properly while cutting the branch.’

Govind Bhakta responded, ‘Yes Bapa, I will be careful.’ Suddenly, the axe fell down into the well. Govind Bhakta panicked, ‘Now, what to do?’ Bapa assigned me a small service and I let the axe slip into the well.

He heard the voice of Bhaishri, ‘Govind, why have you stopped, finish your work!’ Govind Bhakta said timidly, ‘Bapa, How could I cut? Axe has slipped into the well.’

Bhaishri inquired, ‘How did it happen!’ Govind Bhakta informed, ‘Bapa, the handle must be loose, so while cutting the branch it fell down into the water.’ Bhaishri consoled him, ‘doesn’t matter, I will take it out now.’ Govind Bhakta was puzzled, ‘Bapa, how could you take it out? Well is very deep.’ Bhaishri assured, ‘I will take it out.’ With these words, Bhaishri stretched his hand from the place where he had been sitting. Govind Bhakta stared, ‘What is Bapa doing?’

Bhaishri continued stretching his hand. He was sitting under a tree. The extended hand reached inside the well. Govind Bhakta was astonished. He couldn’t utter a single word. Only the word ‘B...a...a...p...a’ came out of his mouth.

Bhaishri took out the axe from the well without moving from his place. He handed it over to Govind Bhakta on the tree. Govind Bhakta was sitting on the branch holding it with both the hands.

Bhaishri instructed, ‘Take the axe, Govind! Fix it into the handle and cut the branch.’ Govind Bhakta stared at the extended hand of Bhaishri. Bhaishri repeated, ‘Son, take this.’ Govind Bhakta fixed the axe and continued his work.

He was dazzled, ‘What did Bapa do? How did he manage to stretch his hand so long?’ He finished his work, had a wash and went to Bhaishri.

He asked Bhaishri, ‘Bapa, How could you perform that?’ Bhaishri asked innocently, ‘What?’ Govind Bhakta said, ‘Bapa, you know everything. I saw it with my own eyes! You stretched your hand and gave me axe.’

Bhaishri replied, ‘had I not given you the axe, How could you have cut the branch?’ Govind Bhakta stuttered, ‘But, B...a...a...p...a, H.a.n.d...’ Bhaishri interrupted, ‘Govind! Son! No task is immposible for an Anadimukta. By grace of God, they can perform any miracle.’

Govind Bhakta fell down at the feet of Bhaishri. And spoke, ‘Bapa, Please, Bless me that I attain unity with Maharaj. If you bless me, definitely I will attain the bliss.’ Bhaishri was pleased and said, ‘Son! Maharaj has sent me to offer the bliss of God. Bless you!’

Govind Bhakta was choked with gratitude, ‘Bapa, Today the purpose of my life is fulfilled with these words, he bowed down again to Bhaishri. He went home happily.

Difficult words:
Oblige - To do a favour
Enthusiastically - With keen interest
Dazzled - Impressed greatly

Points to ponder:
- Maharaj performs all the acts through Anadimukta, therefore nothing is impossible for an Anadimukta.

Exercise

Answer the following questions:
1. What did Bhaishri explain Govind about Darshan?
2. Which task did Bhaishri assign to Govind?
3. How did Bhaishri take out the axe from the well?
4. What blessings did Bhaishri give to Govind?

Fill in the blanks:
1. Darshan of God is the most _____________.
2. Would you be able to cut that ____________?
3. Bapa assigned me a __________ and I made the ________ fall into the well.
4. Son! Govind! Nothing is ____________ for an ___________.