👉 Saving a Life is True Worship

🔶 Saint Gyaneshwar was walking along a river. A monk was deep in meditation while a small child was swimming in the river. All of a sudden, the child was swept away by a strong wave. Now, the poor child was in trouble. He was drowning and frantically crying for help, but the monk sat calmly in his meditation. He opened his eyes momentarily, saw the drowning boy and closed his eyes again.

🔷 Saint Gyaneshwar immediately jumped into the river and saved the kid. He then turned to the meditating monk and asked, "May I ask what you are doing, sir?" "Can't you see? I am meditating!" the monk replied and closed his eyes again. The saint again asked, "Could you succeed in witnessing God?" "No", replied the monk, "I can't concentrate due to disturbances."

🔶 And Saint Gyaneshwar said, "Then get up, and help the poor and needy. Learn to share the misfortunes and sorrows of others, otherwise you will never succeed in your worship" Now the monk realized his folly. He thought, "True worship would have been an attempt to save the drowning kid, rather than ignoring the incident" From that day the monk changed completely. He regularly dedicated some time to help others in addition to his meditation.

✍🏻 Pt. Shriram Sharma Acharya