CHAPTER 1: The Savior

“Dear students!” addressed Sage Suryananda from a platform beneath a huge banyan tree, “Like on earlier occasions, I want you to tell me the moral of the story I am going to tell you today!”   The students, who eagerly awaited this time of the day in the evenings when the sage recited a parable, listened with rapt attention as the sage began his narration of a new story. ********************** A little girl hurried towards a deserted well in the blazing afternoon sun. She was carrying an earthen pot in her hand. On the way she passed by a woman who was holding a pot in her hips. Both of them exchanged smiles and then the girl continued to walk swiftly towards the well. On reaching her destination, she placed the pot on the edge of the short parapet wall that surrounded the well and removed a long rope that rested inside it. Holding the rope she flung the pot inside the well but alas! The water had receded to deeper levels as it usually did during summers. The pot failed to reach its target by almost an inch. The girl stood on her toes, thrust her right hand firmly on the edge of the wall and leaned dangerously inside the well to make the pot reach the waters. Much to her misfortune, the portion of the wall where she had kept her hand for support was partially wet owing to which the hand slipped! The poor girl completely lost balance and before she realized anything, she found herself falling inside the well! Dumb with shock she closed her eyes tightly as she rapidly reached the end of the well where the silent waters waited in anticipation to embrace its falling victim! Just then, something extraordinary happened! The girl suddenly felt that someone or something was holding her firmly, which instantly stopped her free fall. Then she felt a quick yet gentle tilt to her body that made her head, which was facing the water turn upwards.  Startled she opened her eyes and looked around. To her amazement, she found a young man holding her and had his other hand raised in the air. He smiled at her benignly, “Do not worry! You are in safe hands!” Soon, they started moving up and in a short while came out of the well! The man gently made the child land on the ground. “I saw a pot floating in the water! I suppose it is yours!” He surmised. The girl slightly gave a nod. She was still in shock and awe of her fall and her mysterious flying savior! “Okay! Wait here while I get it for you!” So saying, he flew inside the well in a flash and within moments came out with the pot filled with water! “Here it is!” he said and tried to hand over the pot to the girl. However, the child stood still looking at him in utter bewilderment! “Okay! Let us sit under the shade of that tree until you regain your composure! Come along with me!” He led the little girl to a nearby tree and made her sit beside him. He made her rest on his lap and lovingly moved his hand over her head. After a while, he could hear the girl sob and realized that she was giving vent to her emotions. He allowed her to do so under the belief that this would make her shed off the entire mental trauma that she had underwent in this incident. He also played his part in assuaging her aggrieved state of mind by constantly reminding her that the worst was over and she should stop thinking about it. Finally, displaying admirable resilience, the girl recovered well enough to wipe off her tears and get up from his lap. “Feeling better now?” He asked her passionately.