A young man called Rama Swami died an untimely death.
They all happened to be disciples of a holy man whom they called 'Maharaj Ji'. His parents, wife and nine year old son were crying bitterly sitting next to his dead body. When Maharaj Ji learnt that Rama Swami had died, he came vo visit the family.
He entered the house and found the family wailing unconsolably. Seeing Maharaj Ji, the wife started crying even louder. She sobbed saying, "Maharaj Ji, he has died too early, he was so young... I'm so helpless and miserable."
Oh! I would do anything to make him alive again. What will happen to our son?
Maharaj Ji tried to pacify the crying lady and the old parents,
But the loss was too much for them to come to terms with so easily.
Eventually, Maharaj Ji said, "Alright, get me a glass of water."
Maharaj Ji sat near the dead body and put the glass next to it.
Rama Swami shall come back to life, but the person who drinks the water shall die
There was pin drop silence..!
He said, "Now, who ever wants that Rama Swami should become alive again, may drink this water. "Come, did you not say that Rama Swami was the sole bread winner of the family? Who would die instead of him? It is a case of fair exchange, isn't it?"
The wife looked at the old mother and the old mother looked at the wife. The old father looked at Rama Swami's son.
But no one came forward...
Then Maharaj Ji said to the old father, "Babuji, wouldn't you give your life for your son?" The old man said, "Well, I have my responsibility towards my wife. If I die who will look after her? I cannot offer my life."
Maharaj Ji asked the son, "Well little boy, would you like to give your life for your father?" The child's mother said "Maharaj Ji,are you insane?..My son is only nine. He has not yet lived his life." All others had their genuine reasons to present.
Maharaj Ji said, "Well it seems, that all of you are very much needed for the things you need to do in this world... It seems Rama Swami was the only one that could be spared... That is why God chose to take him away.
So shall we now proceed with his last rites?... It's getting late. Having said that, Maharaj Ji got up and left.
In the words of a learned man ... "We tend a plant only when the leaves are green; the rest are only memories of happy times..! Further, God has a great design for every individual human being, and they have their role to play in this game on earth."
Sent by Mr. Seshadri
