Maluk Das - Mysterious Ways of the Lord

🕉️ SHUBHA SANDHYA 🕉️

A SHORT STORY FOR THE EVENING 😊

Long ago, in PRAYAGRAJ, there was a hardworking man, MALUK DAS, who was an atheist.

He would earn his living by working hard on his farm. One day, a learned man who was a devotee of PRABHU SRIRAMA, came to his village. His oration, erudition and the depth of his voice was so enchanting, that the entire village would assemble at his place to listen to his pravachan ( lecture) on RAMAYANA.

One day MALUK DAS also went to the pravachan to see what made the entire village attracted. The learned man was talking about the virtues of PRABHU SRIRAMA, engrossed in devotion. The whole village was mesmerised by his oration, and by the virtues of SRIRAMA.

After the lecture, MALUK DAS went to the learned man, and asked him, what is the use of learning about SRIRAMA. He might have been a virtuous man, and a great king, but how does it help us now. We have to work hard to eat and live. Will SRIRAMA feed us, if we just sit and chant his name? The learned man says that learning about SRIRAMA, teaches us how to live, and chanting his name, will make that living easier.

To this MALUK DAS asks, if I sit and chant the whole day, will SRIRAMA come and feed me with his hands? The learned man says if you have faith, even that will be possible. MALUK DAS laughed and said "Okay, tomorrow, I will sit and chant SRIRAMA'S name all through the day, if he comes and feeds me, I will change my belief system, if not I will not allow you to waste our time with your preachings". The learned man smiled and said if your faith is fervent, SRIRAMA will make sure you are fed.

The next day, MALUK DAS woke up early before dawn, and went to a dense forest, sat down on a rock, and started chanting SRIRAMA'S name. Strangely, after a while of chanting, he felt a strange peace in his heart, and he continued till afternoon despite the insects, snakes and animals that were roaming around. It was afternoon, and MALUK DAS was feeling hungry. The forest was filled with trees full of fruits, but MALUK DAS was adamant that he will eat only when he is fed and will not pluck any fruits by himself.

A few moments later, he saw that an entourage of a King stopped by, and the servant made arrangements for the king for his lunch, on a silver plate, filled with various dishes, bowls filled with fruits, sweets etc. As the king was about to eat, they heard roars of a lion, and the king along with his men, fled the place leaving the food untouched. MALUK DAS sat on the rock, but though scared decided to not move.

Soon the roars subsided, and MALUK DAS was watching the food, that made him hungry, but was adamant as he decided that he should be fed. Soon a group of dacoits stopped by the place, and seeing the food, wondered who would have left such a Royal feast in the middle of this dense forest. And as they were about to eat, they thought it might be a bait to poison them. And as they looked around, they found MALUK DAS.

The dacoits were convinced that it was a bait, and asked MALUK DAS about the food. MALUK DAS told them the truth about the king's entourage and the lion, and told them that it's safe to eat. When they asked MALUK DAS to eat he refused saying that he is waiting for SRIRAMA to come and feed him.

This strengthened the suspicions of the dacoits, and they fed all the food to MALUK DAS with their own hands. Though he resisted in the beginning, as he was hungry, and as the food was delicious, MALUK DAS ate the food. The dacoits left him, thinking that he will die of the poison.

MALUK DAS also left to his village and narrated the incident to the learned man, who laughed and said you got fed as you asked for. This incident made a deep impact on MALUK DAS, and he didn't leave chanting the holy name of SRIRAMA every day.

Soon he was enlightened, and he dedicated his life to SRIRAMA.

This interesting transformation of MALUK DAS is an inspiring tale of FAITH and the greatness of RAMA NAMA🙏