The Divine Flower

Once upon a time, a saint lived in the lap of the Himalayas. He had a small ashram where a very rare and divine flower grew. The flower bloomed only once every twelve years, and it was said that whoever offered it with complete devotion at the feet of Mahadev would receive a glimpse of God.

Three Sadhaks and Their Test

The flower was about to bloom that year. Three Sadhaks had been serving the ashram for twelve years, waiting to receive it.

The first Sadhak (Gyan Margi): He was a scholar of the scriptures. He thought, "I will chant mantras in such a way to please Mahadev that I will receive this flower."

The second Sadhak (Karma Margi): He was very strong. He thought, "I have done the hardest service to the ashram; I have the right to this flower."

The third Sadhak (Madhav): He was very simple and innocent. He neither knew the mantras nor had any special powers.  He simply served his Guru silently, remembering Mahadev in his heart.

The Night of the Flower Blooming

The night the flower bloomed, the entire ashram was filled with its fragrance. Guruji called the three of them and said, "Whoever reaches Mahadev's temple first before sunrise tomorrow morning will be able to offer this flower."

The three of them took the flower and set off on different paths.

The one on the path of knowledge was reciting mantras, but he was filled with pride that he was the best. He encountered an injured traveler on the way, but he thought, "If I stop, I won't be able to offer the flower," and he continued on.

The one on the path of action was running. He saw a drowning animal on the way, but he ignored it because his 'goal' was greater for him.

Madhav's Dedication

As Madhav was walking, he saw an old man shivering in the bitter cold and dying of hunger. Madhav stopped.  He thought, "Mahadev is present in every living being. If I let this old man die, how can I surrender?"

He covered the old man with his sheet, gave him water, and helped him reach the nearby village. A lot of time passed. By the time he reached the temple, sunrise had already arrived.

A Unique Miracle

Madhav began to cry. He thought he had lost. The followers of Jnana Marg and Karma Marg were already standing at the temple entrance, but the door was closed. They were desperate because they tried to reach first, but the door did not open.

As soon as Madhav reached the stairs, the doors of the temple opened automatically. A voice came from the sanctum sanctorum, "Madhav, your surrender is complete."

The other two devotees were astonished. They asked, "Lord, we came first, we had the mantra and power, yet why did the door open for Madhav?"

A voice from the sky said: "You both brought flowers so that you could have darshan, but your offering was full of selfishness. Madhava gave up even the desire to offer flowers so that he could serve a distressed person. Before offering the flowers, he surrendered his ego and desire for rewards to me. True surrender is where the 'I' dies and only service remains."

Lesson : - On the religious path, surrender does not mean merely offering things; rather, giving up one's desires and ego and serving God's creation is the greatest surrender.

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