One day a monk wanted to cross the Sarayu River in Ayodhya
and reach his destination. It was a rainy evening and dense dark clouds threatened
a heavy downpour. When the monk reached the riverbank, a boat was getting ready
to depart.
The boat was filled with rich and proud people. They did not
want to take the poorly dressed monk along with them.
They tried to find numerous excuses to keep the monk out.
But the monk was desperate to escape the heavy rain and
reach his destination.
The boatman realized the precarious situation of the monk
and gave him a place in the boat.
The people on the boat made faces to show their displeasure
on the unwelcome guest.
Though the monk was sitting silently in a corner of the
boat, other people on the boat said and did things to hurt him. The monk had no
ill feeling against those people.
The monk was repeating the holy name of God with closed eyes
according to a habit that had become instinctual with him. Soon, he was
immersed in deep meditation.
Some unruly people on
the boat threw water on the monk and some even punched him.
But the monk who was in deep meditation did not feel
anything and he did not react.
Then a haughty person decided to push the monk into the
river.
Suddenly a heavenly voice thundered, O monk! Just say it and
with your permission, I will destroy these evil people by drowning them.
Everyone on the boat started shaking in fear.
The monk came out of deep meditation.
The next moment, he prayed to God with folded hands:
‘O my loving merciful Lord! Are not these people your children? If you do not forgive them and grace them, who will? They are ignorant of who they are and what they are doing. O Lord! On account of your love for me, I beseech you to heed to my prayer and forgive and grace these children of yours. Please remove their fear and bestow your grace upon them. Please grant them peace. Please be merciful and accept these loving children of yours. Please let them have sincere devotion at your lotus feet.’
God listened to the monk’s prayer.
Moral – Only one who has real strength and real knowledge
can forgive.