Page 6 - Developing Faith

On his return to the earth, Narada met the Brahmana first. He
inquired from Narada if this was indeed his last birth in the
material world. Narada replied that the Brahmana would stay in
the material world and undergo many births and deaths. The
Brahmana was visibly upset.

“Did you see the Lord? What was He doing,” asked the Brah-
mana? Narada answered that the Lord was passing an elephant
through the eye of a needle. The Brahmana snapped back, “I
don’t believe your fairy tales!” Narada understood that the
Brahmana was not really a man of faith. He was an academic
but not a genuine devotee of the Lord.

Narada approached the shoemaker, who was patiently repair-
ing shoes. On seeing the saint, the shoemaker stood up with
respect and then bowed down and touched his head to the feet
of Narada. He then offered a seat to the saint and gave him
water and asked, “Have you seen my Lord Narayana, please
describe what He was doing? “Narada replied, “He was thread-
ing an elephant through the eye of a needle.” The shoemaker
began to shed tears and said, “My Lord is all powerful. He can
do anything at His sweet will.”

Narada was astonished. He asked, “Do you really believe the
Lord can pass an elephant through the eye of a needle?” “I am
absolutely sure,” said the shoemaker. “The Lord is all powerful.
He can perform miracles.” Narada was curious to know why the
shoemaker was so sure of the Lord’s prowess. He asked the
humble man, “How are you so sure?”

“My dear Narada, every day I work under the shade of this
banyan tree,” said the shoemaker. “In season, so many seeds
spread over the ground. Look, here is one. The seed is small.
Yet, My Lord puts so much power in this little seed that a
gigantic tree will grow from it. If the Lord can put a huge tree
in this little seed, then it is not difficult to believe He can pass
an elephant through the eye of a needle!”

Narada was impressed by the logic and reason of the observant
shoemaker, whose trust in the infinite power of the Lord was
not based on blind faith. It was the result of careful observa-
tion of nature which abounds in testaments of the Lord’s power
and glory.

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