Learn Advaita Through An Earthworm – Story told by Shantananda Puri Maharaj
Somewhere a contractor had just finished building a house for a rich man.
In that ground, an earthworm had been living since a very long time. The earthworm one day called the contractor and requested him, “Sir, this is also my house. But I cannot live inside it. Would you kindly build for me a small cozy house in this ground where there will be cross ventilation by keeping one door in the west and one door at the east?”
The contractor complied with the wish of the earthworm within about ten minutes and invited the earthworm to inspect it.
The earthworm entered through the eastern gate, went to the western gate and peeped through. The scenery was very delightful and it was happily enjoying it.
Suddenly to its horror, it found, another earthworm jutting its head out of the eastern gate and enjoying the scenery.
In a vexed manner, the earthworm ordered the other one, “Hey, what are you doing in my house? Get out pronto.” The other one replied in a very humble manner, “Sir, I cannot.” Again the earthworm retorted, “Do you mean to say you won’t or you can’t?”
Again the other worm replied, “Sir, I am not different. I am only your very own tail end, even though we look as two separate beings.” This is Advaita.
Except the highest reality, nothing else exists. Through an imagination of the mind, it looks as if there are multiple beings. All the multiplicity is a product of imagination. Non-duality is the Ultimate truth.