A bus stop was crowded in the scorching afternoon sun. A wealthy businessman stepped off the bus amidst the crowd. He had a lot of luggage and was exhausted. He looked around for a porter, but couldn't find one. Finally, his eyes fell on a simple-looking laborer sitting quietly in a corner.
The businessman called out to him in a commanding voice, "Hey, brother! Come here. I have to deliver this luggage to my house, which is about 500 meters away. Tell me, how much will you charge?"
The laborer looked at the businessman, a strange gleam in his eyes. He politely said, "Seth! I'll take whatever money you give me, but I have a condition."
The businessman was surprised. "Condition? What kind of condition?"
The businessman said, "The condition is that as we walk along the road, you'll either tell me something wise or listen to me carefully. We won't walk silently."
The merchant became angry. He thought, "This laborer is making me terms?" He scolded him and drove him away and began searching for another porter. Even after wandering around for a long time, he couldn't find another laborer. The situation was like that of Lord Rama's boatman, who was the only one left on the banks of the Ganges during the Treta Yuga.
Out of desperation, the weary merchant called back the same laborer. The laborer came running and asked with a smile, "Do you accept my terms, Seth?"
The merchant, irritated and only interested in getting his work done, said, "Yes, yes, I accept. Pick up the luggage and walk."
The laborer lifted the heavy luggage onto his head and started walking with the merchant. After walking a short distance, the laborer asked, "Seth, will you share some wisdom or should I?"
The merchant was engrossed in business and financial calculations; he had no interest in conversation. He casually said, "Hey, you just listened. Don't bother me."
The laborer was delighted. He said, "Okay, Sethji, but listen very carefully to what I say."
All the way, the laborer kept talking about the truth of life, religion, karma, and God. He kept explaining the essence of the Vedas and Puranas, but Seth's ears were open, but his mind was closed. Seth was only thinking about when he would return home and when he would be free from this burden and chatter. They covered 500 meters and reached Seth's luxurious house.
The laborer placed his belongings in the veranda. Seth took the money from his pocket and gave it to him. While accepting the money, the laborer looked Seth in the eyes and asked, "Sethji, tell me the truth, did you listen to me carefully or not?"
The businessman, as usual, said arrogantly, "Hey, brother! I didn't listen to a single word you said. I just had to deliver the goods home, so I said 'yes'. Why should I listen to your nonsense?"
Hearing this, the laborer's face turned serious. He said in a heavy voice, "Seth! You have made the biggest mistake of your life. You don't know what you have overlooked. It is God's decree that your death is certain tomorrow evening at exactly seven o'clock."
The businessman became furious. "What are you saying? How dare you! You got the money, now get out of here, or I'll beat you right now."
The laborer didn't move from his place. He said calmly, "Seth, whether you kill me or leave me, the truth won't change. Your death tomorrow evening is certain. But there's still time. Listen carefully to one thing I say; maybe something good will come of it."
Now the businessman felt a little scared. Seeing the worker's confidence, his ego wavered. He thought, "What if this is true?" The Seth became a little serious and said, "Okay, tell me what you want to say. Everyone has to die. If I have to die tomorrow, I will die. What can I do about it?"
The laborer said, "That's what I'm trying to explain. After you die, when you ascend, you'll appear before Yamaraj."
The laborer explained mysteriously, "Yamaraj will ask you a question: 'O man! You have committed both sins and virtues in your life. Tell me, will you suffer the consequences of your sins first or your virtues?'"
The Seth listened attentively.
The laborer continued, "Then don't try to be clever. Just say this: 'Maharaj! I am ready to suffer the consequences of my sins, but first I want to see the fruits of my virtues with my own eyes.' That's all I need to say."
With that, the laborer left. The Seth remained restless the entire night.
The next day, at exactly seven in the evening, the Seth suffered a heart attack and died. As the laborer had said, the messengers of Yama took him to Yama's court.
Chitragupta looked at the accounts, and Yama asked the same question in a resounding voice, "Seth! You have committed both sins and virtues in your life. Tell me, whose fruits do you want to reap first?"
The Seth immediately remembered the laborer. He folded his hands and said, "Yamadharmaraj! I am ready to bear the punishment for my sins. But I have one wish: I first want to see with my own eyes the fruits of my good deeds."
Yamaraj was in a dilemma. He said, "According to the rules, we make you reap the fruits, not show them. There is no such provision for 'darshan' here."
The Seth argued, "Lord! When you asked me what I wanted, and I told you my wish, why are you backtracking now? Injustice always existed on earth, will injustice also occur in heaven?"
Yamaraj was speechless. The matter was a matter of rules. Forced to do so, Yamaraj took the Seth to Brahma. He explained the entire problem.
Brahma flipped through the Vedas and scriptures with all his four mouths. He scoured all the rules and regulations, but he couldn't find any that demonstrated the "reward of virtue" with his eyes. Brahma too was caught in a dilemma.
Finally, Brahma and Yamaraj, along with the Seth, went to Lord Vishnu in Vaikuntha Dham. They told the Lord their entire plight, explaining that this creature was sitting in a strange position.
Lord Vishnu smiled softly. He said to Brahma and Yamaraj, "You both go and attend to your own duties. I will now decide the fate of this creature."
After the two gods left, Lord Vishnu appeared before the Seth in his full divinity. His radiance was like that of millions of suns.
God asked in a loving voice, "Now speak, Seth! What do you want to say?"
The Seth, mesmerized by God's form, still repeated his memorized words, "Lord! I have been saying this all along: I am ready to bear the consequences of sin, but first I want to see the fruits of virtue."
God laughed and said, "Oh, innocent man! Open your eyes and see. What other fruits of virtue do you want to see? You are standing right in front of the One who is the Lord of the three worlds, whose mere sight blesses the lives of even the greatest ascetics."
The Seth was speechless.
God continued, "Blessed is the Sadguru (laborer) who suggested this solution to you in your final moments. It is because you listened to the saint in the form of that laborer that you have seen me today. All your sins of many lifetimes have been destroyed by my vision. Now you will not suffer any sins. You are free."
Tears flowed from the Seth's eyes. He realized that the laborer was no ordinary man, but a saint who had come to seek his welfare. He had earned wealth throughout his life, but real wealth (a vision of God) came to him by listening to one word of that laborer.
From childhood, we are taught to always listen carefully to the words of our teachers and saints. We never know when, in what form, what advice will change the course of our lives or rescue us from a grave crisis. Sometimes even a simple piece of advice can open the door to salvation.
Read more : -
Miracle in the Cold: The Extraordinary Survival of Michelle Funk
.jpeg)
0 Comments