Once, there was a devoted sweeper in the Dwarakadish temple who was sincere in his service. Observing thousands of devotees coming to take darshan (view) of the Lord, he thought that the Lord, standing all the time, must be feeling very tired. Innocently, he asked the Deity of Dwarakadish if he could take His place for a day to give Him some relief and rest.
The Deity’s Condition
The Deity of Dwarakadish replied, “I do not mind taking a break. I will transform you to look like Myself, but you must do one thing. Stand here like Me, smile at everyone, and give benedictions. Do not interfere with anything and do not say anything. Just have faith that I have a master plan for everything.” The sweeper agreed to this condition.
The Day as the Deity
The Rich Man’s Visit
The next day, the sweeper took the position of the Deity. A rich man came, prayed, offered a donation, and inadvertently left his wallet full of money. The sweeper, now in the form of the Deity, couldn’t call out to him.
The Poor Man’s Discovery
A poor man then came, offered a single coin, and prayed for his family’s well-being. Upon opening his eyes, he saw the wallet left by the rich man and took it, believing it to be a blessing from the Lord. The sweeper, maintaining his role, remained silent.
The Sailor’s Plight
Later, a sailor came and prayed for a safe journey. Soon after, the rich man returned with the police, accusing the sailor of stealing his wallet. The sweeper, frustrated by the injustice, broke his silence and revealed that the poor man had taken the wallet.
The Consequences of Interference
The Lord’s Return
That night, the real Dwarakadish returned and asked the sweeper about his day. The sweeper proudly explained his actions, expecting praise. Instead, the Lord was upset.
The Lord’s Plan
The Lord explained, “You had no faith in My plan. The rich man’s donation was stolen money. The single coin given by the poor man was all he had, offered out of pure faith. The sailor was destined to die if he boarded his ship that night, and being jailed would have saved him. By your interference, you disrupted My plans and their destinies.”
Moral of the Story
This story teaches us that we often lack belief and faith in the Lord’s plan, thinking we know better. However, the Supreme Lord has a master plan that is beyond our comprehension. As stated in Srimad Bhagavatam 1.9.16:
na hy asya karhicid raajan / pumaan veda vidhitsitam yad vijijnaasayaa yuktaa / muhyanti kavayo ’pi hi
“O King, no one can know the plan of the Lord [Sri Krishna]. Even though great philosophers inquire exhaustively, they are bewildered.”
Srila Prabhupada strongly advises in his purport, “Even the exhaustive philosophical inquiries of sages cannot ascertain the plan of the Lord. The best policy is simply to abide by the orders of the Lord without argument.”
Prayer
Let us pray for the faith and humility to trust in the Lord’s plan and to serve Him with devotion and sincerity.
Hare Krishna Mahamantra: 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 by hearing about Krishna and His dear devotees.
