Narada Muni and the Brahmana and Cobbler
Once, Narada Muni, the divine sage, visited the heavenly abode of Lord Vishnu. During his travels on Earth, he encountered a brahmana who requested, “Oh, you are going to meet the Lord? Will you please ask Him when I’m going to get my salvation?”
Narada Muni agreed, “All right, I shall ask Him.”
As Narada continued his journey, he met a cobbler sitting under a tree, mending shoes. The cobbler also asked Narada, “Oh, you are going to see God? Will you please inquire of Him when my salvation will come?”
When Narada Muni reached the Vaikuntha planets, he fulfilled their requests and asked Narayana (God) about the salvation of the brahmana and the cobbler. Narayana replied, “After leaving his body, the cobbler shall come here to me.”
“What about the brahmana?” Narada asked.
“He will have to remain there for a number of births. I do not know when he is coming.”
Narada Muni was astonished and finally said, “I can’t understand the mystery of this.”
“That you will see,” Narayana said. “When they ask you what I am doing in My abode, tell them that I am threading the eye of a needle with an elephant.”
When Narada returned to Earth, he first approached the brahmana. The brahmana eagerly asked, “Oh, you have seen the Lord? What was He doing?”
“He was threading an elephant through the eye of a needle,” Narada answered.
“I don’t believe such nonsense,” the brahmana replied. Narada immediately understood that the man had no faith and was simply a reader of books.
Narada then left and went to the cobbler, who also eagerly asked, “Oh, you have seen the Lord? Tell me, what was He doing?”
“He was threading an elephant through the eye of a needle,” Narada replied.
The cobbler began to weep, “Oh, my Lord is so wonderful, He can do anything.”
“Do you really believe that the Lord can push an elephant through the hole of a needle?” Narada asked.
“Why not?” the cobbler said, “Of course, I believe it.”
“How is that?”
“You can see that I am sitting under this banyan tree,” the cobbler answered, “and you can see that so many fruits are falling daily, and in each seed, there is a banyan tree like this one. If, within a small seed, there can be a big tree like this, is it difficult to accept that the Lord is pushing an elephant through the eye of a needle?”
Moral of the Story:
This story illustrates the essence of true faith. It’s not about blindly believing but having a reasoned trust in the divine. If Krishna can place a large tree within a small seed, it is not astounding that He can perform other miraculous feats. Scientists might think the planets are held in space by natural forces alone, but behind nature, there is the Supreme Lord. Nature acts under His direction. As Sri Krishna states in Bhagavad-gita 9.10:
“mayadhyaksena prakrtih suyate sa-caracaram hetunanena kaunteya jagad viparivartate”
“This material nature is working under My direction, O son of Kunti, and is producing all moving and unmoving beings. By its rule, this manifestation is being created and annihilated again and again.”
The material nature, or prakrti, is acting under the supervision of the Supreme Lord. Everything in this world, from the smallest seed to the largest planet, is being maintained by His energy. Therefore, understanding and believing in the Lord’s capabilities, despite their seemingly impossible nature, is the essence of faith.
Hare Krishna, Hare Krishna, Krishna Krishna, Hare Hare Hare Rama, Hare Rama, Rama Rama, Hare Hare.
PS: I humbly request all the devotees to please forward and share this moral/instructive story so that everyone can benefit from hearing about Krishna and his dear devotees.
