I retell an orally shared ancient tale.
The Preserver-God’s consort, Goddess of Wealth, Lakshmi, one day, had a doubt. She asked Him, ‘The sages say that You feed the entire world. Is that true?”
The Lord smiled, and said, “Yes.”
“All of the living beings in the Universe?”
He calmly replied, “Yes.”
She remained doubtful but stayed silent.
One day, hiding from Him, she isolated a black ant in a closed container and stored the container in a secret place.
At the end of the day, she asked the Lord, ‘Did you feed the world today?”
He said, “Yes.”
She brought her container forward and wanting to show Him he was wrong, opened the box.
Inside the closed box, she found, the black ant eating a morsel of rice.
A famous monk born in the 1800’s widely traveled to the USA, Europe and across India, teaching spiritual truths, had this to say of those who wished to teach religion to the hungry and the poor, “First bread, then religion,” and “Bread! Bread! I do not believe in a God, who cannot give me bread here, giving me eternal bliss in heaven.”
And of giving, he said:
“Do not stand on a high pedestal and take 5 cents in your hand and say, "here, my poor man," but be grateful that the poor man is there, so by making a gift to him you are able to help yourself. It is not the receiver that is blessed, but it is the giver. Be thankful that you are allowed to exercise your power of benevolence and mercy in the world, and thus become pure and perfect.”
The simple idea is that in giving, we elevate ourselves and attain a higher state of awareness of Self.
Jayshree, I found the thought of being grateful for the poor man to be very enlightening. Thank you for that. D
You are a natural storyteller. I can tell you enjoyed sharing it too. 😊