In the Narada Purana, there is a story about a businessman who had two sons. These sons felt that their father had spent his entire life in business and needed a spiritual transformation. They decided to send him on a pilgrimage with a Sadhu (holy man), providing enough money for the journey. They instructed the Sadhu not to bring their father back until his heart was converted, hoping he would pass his time in pilgrimage and possibly leave his body in a holy place.
The Journey Begins
The Sadhu took the businessman to various holy places, hoping to soften his heart. However, despite visiting many sacred sites, the businessman remained unchanged. He continued to talk about business and money, frustrating the Sadhu.
A Last Resort
As a last resort, the Sadhu took the businessman to the holy city of Varanasi. While passing through one of the burning ghats (a crematorium), the businessman saw many dead bodies burning on logs of wood. To the Sadhu’s surprise, the businessman started crying. Tears filled his eyes and poured down his cheeks. The Sadhu, thinking the businessman had finally realized the futility of material pursuits, placed his hand on the man’s shoulder and asked, “What do you feel now? How do you feel about life?”
The Businessman’s Response
The businessman replied, “I really feel bad. I feel terrible. I have wasted my life.” The Sadhu, feeling hopeful, further enquired, “Really? Why do you feel terrible? Tell me.”
The businessman said, “I was a cloth merchant throughout my life. If I had known that there is so much demand for wood, I would have done business in wood. How I wasted my whole life. I’m feeling bad about it now.” Realizing the businessman was still preoccupied with material gains, the Sadhu gave up on him.
Moral
From this story, we understand that simply by the passage of time, desires will not evaporate automatically. One must make sincere efforts to transform the heart. Without making such efforts, over time, our desires can become even more entrenched and difficult to control.
Lesson
This story teaches us the importance of sincere spiritual effort and introspection. Material desires cannot be overcome by merely changing our external environment or through the passage of time. True transformation requires genuine effort and dedication to spiritual practice.
Prayer
Hare Krishna Mahamantra:
Hare Krishna, Hare Krishna, Krishna Krishna, Hare Hare Hare Rama, Hare Rama, Rama Rama, Hare Hare
PS: I humbly request all devotees to please forward and share these moral/instructive stories so that everyone can benefit from hearing about Krishna and His dear devotees.
