GOD KNOWS THE BEST

2. GOD KNOWS & DOES ALWAYS THE BEST.

Sitaramayya worked as a school-teacher and as a temple priest in Gangapuram; village on the banks of river Krishna. He worked for 40 years; his children were all well-settled and married. His wife died due to poison-fever (typhoid) ten years ago; he completed 65 years of age. So he handed over his professional duties to his well qualified sons; he wanted to go on pilgrimage for three months on foot. In those good old days some 200 years ago there were no buses, rail-trains & public transport system, or even good roads. There were also dangers of serpents, wild animals in forests, and dacoits. So he prayed Lord Sri Krishna , in whose temple he worked for 40 years as a priest, to be with him and protect him during his journey and ensure his safe return home. He started his travel.
On the third day, he met one person of about 30 years of age in a way-side choultry, where night lodging is offered free for pilgrims. They both introduced each other. The person was called Gopal;
he worked as a farmer in his native place; he had ten hectors of land in his native village, also he was doing agriculture in the farms of some other people; he got 66% of produce as his share for his labor and investment on the land. He told he also started to visit holy temples for a period of 3 months. Sitaramayya asked the youth to accompany him & visit all the temples; they can be of mutual help. Gopal agreed but told his condition: he should be treated as a friend with complete
liberty; no objection should be expressed for his words and actions; no questions should be posed by the old man. Sitaramayya agreed gladly; he needed the company & protection of Gopal in his tour.
After a week, they reached the village Ramapuram; it was a small village; there was free-lodge (choultry) there; the villagers told the village-head was a very rich landlord, Sankaram, he was
kind and generous and treated the pilgrims with royal comforts. They went to the house of that land-lord; he welcomed them cordially and gave them feast in gold plates. He showed of his riches & pomp with pride. He offered them two silk beds in his guest room; they thanked their host & told they leave the place before sun-rise on their pilgrimage, even before the land-lord wakes up. He agreed.
Next morning they woke up before sun-rise; and left the house of land-lord; while coming out Gopal stole a big plate of gold from the house and hid it in his bag. Sitaramayya saw this and felt very
much distressed. He wanted to admonish Gopal but he remembered the promise he already made,ie.,not to question the actions of Gopal.
Two weeks after this incident, they reached another village Polavaram; it was a very small village with no choultry or shelter; the asked for shelter; the head of that family Subbayya, was hostile; but he allowed them to sleep in the cattle-shed on the grass that night. The place was a hell for the travelers; there was stink (bad odor) of cow dung; there were thousands of mosquitoes in that shed; the ground was damp, they could not sleep; they suffered their stay during that night. The next morning they rose up to start on their pilgrimage; Gopal left the stolen gold plate on the grass-bed,where they slept in the cattle-shed. Sitaramayya was surprised why Gopal was so generous to such a hostile and miserly host; but he did not dare to ask.
Two weeks after this incident, they reached another small village Sitanagaram; it was also atiny village, and there was no choultry to stay for night. They went to a hut; there they found an old man of about 75 years of age, named Govindam; he had a grandson of 3 years age; they live inthat hut. The old man was a pious man and a great devotee of Lord Sri Krishna. He welcomed them into his hut; he offered them some bread & milk. He told them his story. His only daughter and son- in-law died in a sudden and fierce flood; then the child and he went for a short trip to a nearby village on a hill; so they both escaped from the flood & survived. The boy was an orphan; he loved hisgrandson and cared so much for the boy, he had not much time left to do devotional service to Lord Sri Krishna. Both the travelers pitied him and conveyed their sympathy for him & the boy.
That night all were fast asleep; by around 4 ‘0 clock, Gopal rose up; he woke up Sitaramayya and asked him to start immediately; he was annoyed but could not question Gopal. While leaving Gopal strangled the young boy to death. They left Sitaramayya was shocked with grief; but he had no courage to question Gopal; he was afraid that such a criminal can even strangle and kill him, if any objections are expressed by him. Also he remembered their original conditions when they started on the pilgrimage. But they left the place. After two months of their starting the pilgrimage tour, they completed their tour and decided to return home. Then the old man mustered courage and hesitantly asked Gopal to explain his past actions. Gopal said he would explain on the day when they separate to go to their native villages. Their return journey began. They reached Sitanagaram and visited the hut of Govindam. Govindam was in deep penance. He was uttering the name of Lord Sri Krishna; “AUM NAMO SRI NARAYANA”, oblivious to his surroundings. The travelers went in; Govindam neither observed nor talked to them. Sitaramayya and
Gopal slept in the hut that night and went away next morning.
After a few days journey on foot, they both reached the village Polavaram, and went to the house of Subbayya. He did not recognize them, but received them cordially; he offered them good feast and asked them to sleep in the guest room comfortably. Next morning, when they went to take leave, he told them that God gifted him a gold plate and kept it in the cow-shed, in return to his kindness to two wayfarers just for allowing them to sleep in his cattle-shed, without giving them any food. Now he expected God to gift more and more gold plates, if he shelters & feeds the way-farers. Sitaramayya
thanked and said God is very kind and He may fulfill Subbayya’s expectations. But Gopal said; I do not think so. God may not care to reward any service done by any person, expecting returns.
Both Subbayya and Sitaramayya were surprised and annoyed at the remarks of Gopal.
They continued their return journey; they reached the village Ramanagarm; they went to the house of Sankaram; it was very dark already. He did not recognize them. His servant came out; he took them into a separate guest room; gave them good food in a big plantain leaf, but not a feast in gold plates. Sankaram did not meet them. He went out to a nearby temple to listen to puranam,epic stories from holy Ramayanam by a Haridas. Next morning again the servant came and offered them some milk do drink in a bronze tumbler ; they drank the milk; asked the servant to convey theirthanks to Sankaram and left the village.
They finally reached the place where they met; it was time to bid farewell. Then Sitaramayya thanked Gopal profusely for accompanying him all through the pilgrimage & helping and protecting
him, as if he is his own son. Then he asked Gopal; “My son ! I could not understand you and your actions. You seem be a nice person; but your actions perplexed me.” Then Gopal asked Sitaramayya to accompany him to a nearby temple of Sri Krishna; both went there. It was past mid-noon. They had darshan (sight) of the stone idol of Lord Sri Krishna; they offered worship for about 15 minutes; the priest offered them plenty of pongali (rice pudding) as prasadam. They ate it & it was very tasty and their bellies were full; they took rest in the outer--premises of the temple. The priest closed and locked the door of sanctum-sanctorum and left for noon-rest to his cottage, nearby.
Then Gopal explained: (1) Sankaram was rich and his generosity crossed all limits; his pomp and extravagant expenditure on the way-farers may reduce him to poverty in a few years. He needs to be
just a good host. When he lost the gold plate, he learnt the lesson; if the way-farers begin to steal his gold plates one by one, soon he will lose his riches. So he changed for good; he just gave normal good
treatment to way-farers. It made both the host & guest happy; he left the treatment of guests to his good servant; they are there to do their duties. He need not personally waste his time on guests; he went to the temple to listen to the holy stories of Lord Sri Krishna, and thus spend his life peacefully.
2) Subbayya was very rich; he was a miser. He did not give any generous treatment to way-farers. He always expected hundred-fold return for any good deeds he performed. He was very happy when
he fond gold plate in the cattle-shed; he believed as a gift from God for offering us shelter for night. He was greedy; so he started giving shelter and food to way-farers with a fond hope of more gifts from God, as gold plates. Though we know well such gifts will not be showered on him, that was what I told him when taking leave from him in the morning.
3) Govindam is a great devotee of God; he led a pious life. God is ready to give him Moksha-padam (freedom from the cycle of birth and death; state of eternal bliss in the heavenly abode of Lord Sri Krishna). But his grandson proved to be a hidrance; Govindam left his penance of God to take care of the child. So I removed that obstacle by strangling the boy to death. So though grieved, Govindam turned to penance. He shall attain moksha-padam soon. All obstacles were removed.
So saying Gopal walked through the locked door into the sanctum-sanctorum & vanished. Sitaramayya then realized that Lord Sri Krishna himself accompanied him to protect him during his pilgrimage tour to enlighten him; God’s ways are always good, just and wise; GOD KNOWS AND DOES THE BEST.