Forum

Once there was a "brahmin" and a cobbler. They used to lead  lives of there own using whatever prowess krishna gave them. But dont forget krishna also gave them an illusion of free will, so they could use there powers they way they wanted to.

 The "brahmin" used to run  a gurukul, had mugged up all scriptures and was a very greedy, swollen middle aged man. The levels of gluttony he used to commit was beyond belief, he could gulp down more food than 20 horses combined and all he did in the "name" of the lord on the money of poor farmers who used to invite him to perform pious rituals and yajnas for rain and better harvest.

  The cobbler on the other hand was leading his life on the weaker end. He stiitched shoes roadside by the day and trembled by the nights, because he had only but a piece of rag in the name of a blanket. But still he was full of love and joy, because he had pure and unbiased love for krishna. Unlike the "brahmin" he was not envious of lord.

  One day Narada visited the lord in Vaikuntha, where he was seated blissfully enjoying the beauty of his own creations and expansions. Narada asked him a small question, " my lord who do you consider to be your real devotee, the "holy" man who does yajnas in your name or the poor rat who stiches shoes". Lord gave a mysterious smile, and rather than giving a clear answer he asked Narada to visit each of them, and when they asked what was the lord doing he should answer " lord was passing an elephant through the eye of a needle".

  Narada began his journey , he first visited the"brahmin". When Narada entered his gurukul he was busy eating and scolding his poor students. When the 'brahmin" saw Narada,  he started acting diplomatically, he did ample number of fake gestures like getting up from is 'aasan", doing dandvat pranaam to narada, washing his feet with rose water and then massaging them, offering beautiful flowers and deliceous prasadam. Narada momentarily became happy with all the mundane offerings he had received.Then Narada sat on a beautiful aasan the "brahmin" had arranged. The "brahmin" staarted having a chat with Narada about Vaikuntha. Everything was happening peacefully, then the  "brahmin" started asking about lord himself, "how does he looks", "how does he sounds","what is he wearing".....all these questions got answered, but then he asked the question Narada wanted him to ask, the "brahmin" asked "what was the lord doing".Narada replied "Lord was passing an elephant from he eye of a needle". The "brahmin" burst into a disrespectful and loud laughter, he ridiculed Narada for this "illogical" and "funny" answer. Narada immediately got offended and walked away

   He then visited the cobbler and at once felt pity on his condition. The cobbler was doing his menial work in the scorching heat of  afternoon sun. Narada however got a little disappointed though because consumed in his menial jobs the cobbler could not extend any courtesies to the saint. However they could engage in a small spiritual conversation. Narada answered all his questions like he answered the "brahmin"'s. Finally came the question of what was the lord doing and Narada gave the same reply and opposite to Narada's expectations the cobbler became extremely ecstatic on hearing the response, he closed his eyes and with joined hands started swaying in pure joy and singing the mercy of lord. A teardrop appeared near his eye, and he kept singing. He said "only my lord can do such miracles".

  Narada immedeately understood what the lord wanted to explain him, because that is how a good teacher treats his student they tell them where to look but never tell what to look for. Narada understood that the fat man who called himself a brahmin was just an imposter with no regards for te supreme-soul and deserved to be flogged in hell for all the cruelties he did to the poor farmers in the name of lord. However it was the cobbler who despite his birth in a lower caste family was a real saint .... the REAL brahmin, because he had pure unbiased love and devotion for the lord.

  However the next morning the cobbler who woke with the same mentality of pure love for lord and  was readying for another harsh day came across hundreds of gold coins in the bag he used to keep is tools. He had a very troubled life till that day, he had been beaten up, had to starve, had to listen to all cursings from rich men and had given up hope for any material opulence in this birth, he was determined to face it till the end with the help of lord's blessings, but tis was completely unexpected and once again e closed his eyes and started thanking the lord in his prayers with full humbleness. A beautiful breeze started blowing, which brought te smell of beautiful flowers and manjaris from all around, sun light made is room glow brighter than itself and colourful songbirds came chirping from all around. While on the other hand the false brahmin opened his safe to count his wealth which he accumulated from poor farmers , he also received a surprise that morning whic was however unpleasent to him. All his wealth ad been replaced by "go-mutra" to clense himself of all the sins he had done and become pure.

  However, the impure soul he was, e started raving like a mad man about all his knowledge and that lord can not do this to someone like him who was born a "brahmin". O if by any mercy from heavens had the poor man known that no can be a bramin just by being born in the family of another brahmin, it can be attained only by someone who has faith in lord and chants his holy name, ten only can one become THE REAL BRAHMIN.