We often question our trust in the almighty and this doubt in turn affects our gratitude for what we’ve been blessed with. Here’s a story, as narrated by OSHO, as to how one can trust and be grateful towards the one who has created him/her.
Narada, the famous Indian mystic, was on his way to meet God. As he passed through the forests while playing his veena, he saw an old sage sitting under a tree.
The old sage stopped Narada and said, ”Can you please tell God that I have been making all the possible efforts during all my three births to reach liberation? Could you also ask Him how many more lives will it take for me to free myself from this cycle of birth and death?”
Narada laughed and said,”Okay!”
As he progressed further on his way, he saw a young eclectic man dancing under a tree. He stopped and asked the young man if there was something he wanted to ask God, considering this old sage, his neighbour, wanted to.
The young man did not respond and continued dancing as if he hadn’t heard the question, as if he wasn’t there at all.
After a few days, Narada returned to the forest. “Three more lives! I asked God.”, he told the old man. The man stopped the japa that he was doing, rose from his seat and threw his scriptures. “Three more lives! How unjust is this!”, he screamed in rage.
Narada moved onto the young man. “You hadn’t answered me or asked anything. But I nevertheless asked God about how many more lives it would take for you to attain liberation. But after seeing the old sage’s reaction, I am hesitating whether to tell you God’s response or not.”
But the young man did not respond and continued dancing. “God told me to inform you that it would take as many lives as the leaves on the tree under which your dancing.”, said Narada.
And the young man started dancing even more ecstatically. “So fast?! There are so many trees in the world and so many leaves. Only this much? Only these leaves? Only this many lives? I have already attained! When you go next, thank Him.”, he said.
And it is said the man became liberated that very moment! If there is such totality of trust, time is not needed. If there is no trust, then even three lives are not enough!
