Gopu’s adventure
Miracles happen when there is truth and honesty in soul
This is a story of a poor young brahmin boy, Gopu, who was an orphan. He survived by working in the fields in exchange for food and slept under the trees. One day, while he was working in the fields, he noticed a sage who had stumbled upon a rock and was in a great deal of pain. Gopu rushed to help him get up, washed his feet with water and helped him sit comfortably under a tree. He then rushed to the nearest home to beg for some food. They offered him two flatbreads and a piece of jaggery. Gopu brought them back immediately and offered them to the sage. The sage was extremely hungry and blessed Gopu with all his heart. Gopu then offered to walk with him and helped him cross the dense forest before dusk.
Once they reached the ashram where the sage lived, Gopu was astounded by the atmosphere. It felt so divine and surreal to him.
The sage requested Gopu to stay for a day or two with them. Gopu agreed immediately.
During his stay, he would get up early and would help gurumata (Sage’s wife) start cooking for the day.
The ashram was also a school for teaching Vedas and Puranas to young scholars who had enrolled with the great Sage from all over the country.
Gopu’s devotion was contagious and the sage and gurumata decided together to adopt him as their child. Gopu was ecstatic with joy when he heard this. It felt like divine intervention. However, he just could not memorise the texts of vedas. The sage stopped forcing him eventually and Gopu retreated to performing daily chores instead and helping around the ashram.
Gopu never felt hurt when other scholars made fun of him for being dumb. He continued smiling and performing his chores assigned to him.
One day, the ashram was invited to a Maha Yagya which was supposed to be performed in a distant city for which they needed each and every scholar of the ashram. Gurumata was also invited. The sage was extremely worried about the Puja rituals for Gods at Ashram. Who would chant mantras in their absence ? Because Gopu knew nothing. Not even one sloka.
In the meantime, oblivious to all this, Gopu was busy learning from Gurumata the intricacies of cooking delicacies for Gods and Goddesses at Ashram.
When the time to leave arrived, gurudev (sage) told Gopu that he had written the slokas on leaves and all he had to do was to serve food as prasadam on those leaves to Gods and Goddesses. Gopu nodded and assured him that he would not disappoint him.
Next morning, Gopu woke up early because he could barely contain his excitement and joy that he would be cooking for his Gods. He took a bath first and then entered the kitchen, built a fire, started cooking payasam and puffed flatbread (poori) slowly and nicely. The aroma of his cooking attracted birds, deers and rabbits. He asked them to wait till God had the offering first.
He entered the Puja room to sweep and mop first and then sat down with a bowl of warm water to give the idols a bath. THEY were wiped with a fresh piece of cloth dipped in warm water with rose petals and sandalwood paste in it and wiped with soft cloth afterwards. He opened the windows for a fresh breeze to enter the room, lit diya and incense.
He, then, served THEM the food on leaves (as plates) on which slokas were written. He then sat down in one corner and waited for THEM to appear for breakfast. Of course, NOBODY showed up. Gopu said ,”Oh ! YOU must be feeling shy to eat in front of me. Do not worry Gopal, Hanuman, Jagannatha, Shiva, Devi Parvati, Mata Saraswati, Maa Lasksmi, I will wait outside. Once you finish, call me, I will clean everything. Also, if you need second helpings, do not hesitate to let me know. I have cooked plenty.” Gopu waited outside till the sun rays started dimming. He opened the door and noticed with tears in his eyes that the offerings were untouched.
Gopu had never once complained to God about his life, when he had to hustle every day for bare minimum food. He would dream of food every night and would wake up hungry and teary eyed but always had faith in God. But today his faith was wavering.
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“Why did THEY not arrive? What did I do wrong ? I must have done something wrong !”
He wiped away his tears mostly because today because of him, his GODS were hungry too. He went back to the kitchen again, gave away the remaining food to the rabbits and birds who were waiting eagerly outside. Then he cleaned every utensil thoroughly. He started preparing for lunch with a determined heart. He made sure that the fire in the kitchen was just the right temperature. He cooked payasam after boiling milk over low flame and added fine Basmati rice with cardamom. Then, he prepared mixed vegetable curry with vegetables grown inside the ashram garden tended by him. He added ghee in the curry and Daal. After preparing the lunch, he laid down leaves with slokas in front of idols in the Pooja room, lit diya and served food with great care and devotion. He went outside the room, closed the door and patiently waited for THEM to appear and have the food. He was so exhausted that he dozed off only to be woken up by a deer trying to snuggle. It was dusk already. He opened the door to the Puja room and was shocked that food was untouched again. He had not touched a single morsel of food since yesterday evening and was feeling dizzy. Moreover he had done everything that he used to do every day for THEM except for reciting slokas. That must be the reason why THEY did not appear, Gopu concluded. He decided to bring THEM out of the room so THEY would get fresh air and could have late lunch under the huge Banyan tree. He brought out fresh bedsheets and arranged everything affectionately as a parent cajoled a child to have something to eat. He seated the idols on individual cushions made with flowers. Alas ! Still no show !
With tears rolling down his cheeks, he mumbled,” I do not know how to recite mantras to invite YOU but I know that YOU live in every living being’s soul. Kindly appear in front of me and let me know how I can rectify my mistake, so all of YOU can eat.”
Again, NO response !
Gopu lost his patience now and said, “Fine ! Do NOT eat. I will also NOT eat till YOU eat first. Let’s see who wins.” He then went inside his hut and started sobbing uncontrollably.
Suddenly, he heard discussions outside. “Did Gurudev come back?” He rushed outside and lo and behold ! All his Gods and Goddesses had appeared and were enjoying the food prepared by him. THEY requested him to join them which he promptly did. He could not control his hunger anymore and started devouring food. He looked up after stuffing his face with Pooris and THEY were smiling affectionately.
All of them had a nice late lunch/dinner and before leaving, they shared with Gopu what THEY would like to have for breakfast, lunch and dinner the next day.
This ritual continued for over a week. One afternoon, Gurudev and his wife along with all the scholars returned back to the ashram. They noticed that the food stock was over. Gopu was just returning with a basket on his head filled with ingredients for next day’s meals.
Shocked and speechless, Gurudev inquired. Gopu answered wide eyed and excited that the ingredients were over 2 days ago because Gods loved his cooking but he need not worry since THEY also helped him replace the ingredients which he had stored in another hut. Lord Ganesha and Lord Hanuman accompanied him through the dense forest and it was so much fun chatting with THEM. He went on and on and on about how Lord Vishnu smiled at his mantras, how Hanuman and Ganesha always requested for third helping of payasam, how Goddess Saraswati, Maa Lakshmi and Maa Durgaa taught him how to cook Dalma and Pulao.
While listening to his stories, Gurudev, Gurumata and all the scholars started seeing stars in the afternoon. Their heads started spinning. Gopu’s face was glowing. He was telling the truth, there was not a shred of doubt in that.
When they eventually gathered their wits, Gurudev hugged Gopu and softly uttered, “Go on child! It’s time for dinner preparations. What’s on the menu tonight ? We will help you. You guide us.”
From that day onwards, Gopu took over preparing meals for the Gods and Goddesses but he was the only one who could see THEM.
Silent Pages Apeksha Apte Mumtaz Vinchu Smriti Pathak Thank you guys for reading my posts and for such thoughtful, affectionate comments. It means more than you can imagine!
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