Innocent Faith

Once there lived a seven-year-old boy whose father was a pandit in a temple. His father served in the temple of Rama, Mother Sita, and Hanuman Ji. He never considered them as idols but living incarnations. He used to offer naivedya to the Lord, which his son used to bring from the house. Even the mother was the pious one who prepared the naivedya, feeling the presence of the Lord. The boy had the faith that Lord would accept the naivedya. Pandit Ji used to receive the food from his son, close the curtains and offer naivedya to the Lord. The boy was unaware of what the naivedya underwent. 

One day, his father had to go to another village for a job. He asked his son to offer the naivedya to the Lord daily and never taste a bite before offering to the Lord. The boy accepted the words as they were. His father left. 

The next day, he woke up and prepared to leave for the temple. He was excited to be the pandit for that day. His mother gave him the basket of food and, he left. The boy unlocked the temple, gave a bath to the Lord, and offered the naivedya. He asked the Lord to eat. But, the idols didn’t move. He was stubborn and sat till the afternoon. His mother came to the temple to find him. She asked the reason behind the delay. He said that Lord was not eating. His mother couldn’t hear him, as he was shouting from within the temple. She asked the boy to receive the lunch and, she left. 

The boy asked the Lord to eat lunch. He said to them (the idols) that if they had eaten a heavy diet the previous night, they could at least eat in the afternoon. He felt that the three might be sick but also thought how all three could fall ill together. He was angry. He waited till evening. He sat was utmost determination. Then the boy offered the dinner. But, nothing happened. He asked them to sleep empty stomach, and he slept as well. His mother felt that he would have slept in the temple. She didn’t inquire. 

The next day morning, he received the breakfast and asked the Lord to eat the fresh food. Mother Sita could not see the boy hungry. She began eating the food. But, the boy held Mother’s hand and asked her to feed him as he was younger than her. Mother fed him. He gave a stern look to Rama Ji and Hanumana Ji. Rama Ji and Hanumana Ji began eating. They were so hungry that they licked all the platters to the last bite. 

The boy returned and said to his mother that Lord ate. At the next mealtime, he reached the temple and asked them to eat. They ate whole-heartedly. But, Hanumana Ji told him not to tell about the event to anyone. The boy said that he would surely tell his father as they pestered at him terribly. Hanumana Ji requested. The boy said that he would not tell if he could take him to his father at that moment. Hanumana Ji had no choice. He took the boy on his back to his father. 

His father was in a village, which was several miles away from his home. His father was amazed at seeing him and asked him to tell the reason to follow him. The boy said that the one who pestered at him brought him there. The father held his ears and held his ears. The boy began crying. Seeing the scenario, Hanumana Ji appeared before him and asked Pandit Ji to forgive the boy as they were at fault. Then, Hanumana Ji narrated the entire story. 

Moral-  Lord is hungry for our deep emotions. He shows his form if we have immense faith. If we offer the naivedya with the faith of that boy, Lord will surely show his form. The naivedya is not only the food but everything we do or experience. Now, the practice of surrendering comes into play. When we offer naivedya to Lord, we receive prasad, viz, Prabhu ke Saakshat Darshan. If we offer our mind as naivedya, we will experience Sudarshan, the Eternal beauty of Oneness.