A lesson from Vishnu

Language: English

Information about this story:

A presentation of the research institute “Andishe Online Germany (AOG).”

Excerpt from the book “The Miracle of Guadalupe”

Author: Faramarz Tabesh

Date of completion/publication of the original Persian version: Fall 2006/03.01.2019

Publication date of the English and German versions: October 28, 2024

The following text was translated from German into English by Faramarz Tabesh.

“The soul is a traveler on the chariot of the material body, whose consciousness is the charioteer, the mind the reins, and the senses the horses.” Bhagavad Gita

A lesson from Vishnu

The seeker of truth, a paragon of devotion, dedicated his entire childhood and youth to the worship of Vishnu. Even after more than 30 years of his life had passed, he had not neglected the remembrance of Vishnu, whom Hindus regard as the Lord of the universe. He fulfilled all his religious duties without missing a single point. Every morning, he purified himself in the river Ganges and then studied the Vedas and Puranas. He performed his mantra several times daily and seriously refused to eat meat.

“Isn’t it true that cow’s milk is the best way to enjoy and satisfy hunger? So what did it mean to kill a cow?!”

Everything the devout man had learned came mainly from the teachings of the time he served as Brahma Chari in the ashram. At that time, he was studying at the Dehyana School, and this school, like the Guyana School, did not accept the issue of student marriage. For this reason, this devout young man had spent his entire training at the ashram in the service of a senior mentor from the same school without marrying. His steadfast commitment to this belief, which has become a habit today, is a testament to his unwavering devotion.

It is doubtful whether this young man’s sexual desires reached the stage of samadhi without disturbing the exchange and spiritual-psychic balance.

The Bhagati school is the highest stage one can reach. It begins with Karma Yoga and leads via Gyana or Ashyana Yoga to the Bhagati Stage. In contrast to the Dehyana school, this school allows married people to enter the ashram and begin their training. These people can have sexual relations with their spouses within the framework of their religious laws. Unfortunately, this devout man did not belong to this school. So marriage was not only impossible, it was taboo.

In any case, this young man, who had settled in Rishi Kesh to bathe daily in the waters of the Ganges, had only one wish, which he addressed to his God day and night in pure prayer.

“Oh, incomparable God, oh knower of inside and outside, oh great Vishnu, oh my beloved, I have prayed for you for years and led an ascetic life; I long to see you. O kind and beloved Vishnu, I am ready to sacrifice my life to visit you for a second.”

The tone of voice and the words of this religious man testified to an inner longing that he had developed through years of concentration on the teachings of his time in the ashram. For him, the highest that could and should be achieved was to see Vishnu. Perhaps the seeker’s idea of nirvana was a visit to the outer appearance and physical manifestation of Vishnu. Is it not also the case in other religions that pilgrims prostrate themselves before the statues and images of their outstanding personalities and want to meet them?

In the higher stages of Hindu religions, actions, thoughts, and prayers are performed exclusively for God to come closer to Him without expecting any earthly or later reward. From the point of view of the world view of this stage, which is called Bhagati Yoga, the question now arises as to the nature of these inner wishes and desires of the devotee and worshipper of Vishnu.

In any case, this devotee, who rarely left the city of Rishi Kesh, did not have much to do with other people and spent all his time praying to Vishnu, the God of the universe, day and night. He also did this when he bathed in the Ganges or performed the sacrificial ceremony. Apparently, he had no other desire than this. But sometimes, spiritual nobles want to teach something more. He will give you the world if you ask wholeheartedly and sincerely for a piece of bread.

Thirty years of this pious man’s life had passed in this way. He wished to meet the God Vishnu, but it did not seem possible, or it was a futile wish!

With this thought, the devout man placed his vessel filled with river water on the ground to wash the Vishnu statue and his small personal temple daily.

The man had known this area for a long time and had been bathing in the water of this river every day for 20 years for the joy of his God Vishnu and to purify his body and soul.

Around this river stood a mighty old Indian fig tree, believed to be over a thousand years old. This tree best witnessed the ascetic’s love for his God.

In his imagination, the young man had spoken to Vishnu thousands of times under this tree and asked him for a short visit. But now ….

Hopeless and heartbroken, the ascetic sat under this tree, losing hope for the first time and wishing for death. The thread of faith of the longtime believer was about to unravel like a rotten and loose rosary thread when suddenly a unique fragrance entered his nose, and the hot, steamy, and stifling summer air of the area became so mild. More pleasant than ever before. A calm, refreshing breeze blew, and the pious young man felt fresh blood coursing through his veins.

At the exact moment, a high voice of royal majesty called to him from behind:

“My friend, what is troubling you?”

The young man turned around and saw Vishnu standing ten meters away on a hill. Vishnu manifested himself in the same form as his statue in his small temple and with a halo of light.

The seeker trembled, and he was out of his skin with happiness. He wanted to say something but didn’t have the words to form sentences, as if his brain had failed to give him the necessary commands.

Vishnu said in the same celestial voice.

“Say something.”

The pious man dared and spoke from the bottom of his heart to his beloved:

“My God, my beloved, I want to do something for you. I will do anything for you.”

Vishnu replied with the same smile and radiant aura:

“Just a sip of water.”

When he heard these words from his beloved, who believed him to be the creator of the universe, the sincere devotee was confused. However, he soon regained his senses and, following his master’s command, hurried to the nearby river.

The river’s water was hot because of the heat, and the seeker thought of finding a spring and fetching drinking water for his God. As he looked around for such a source, his eyes suddenly fell on an incredible and desirable woman standing in her colorful sari dress on an island in the middle of the river, looking at him with a sweet smile.

The young man briefly wondered why he had never seen this island in this part of the river before, but the woman’s allure and beauty were so seductive and exciting that he quickly forgot about it. It didn’t matter where the island came from. What mattered was the beautiful, enchanting woman waiting for him.

The pious man stared at this scene in bewilderment for a while but then quickly recovered and searched for a boat or even just a piece of wood that would take him to this nascent island.

Finding a boat in such proximity was as easy as finding a cobra, an elephant, and a yogi in the Indian forests, and so the young man took the first fishing boat he found without hesitation and sailed to his new lover.

…….

To read the rest of the story on the Research Institute Andishe Online Germany- AOG website, click here.

© Faramarz Tabesh 2024–2025. All rights reserved.