Storytime: The Brahmin & the Cobbler


Narada Muni, the sage of the Gods, was once approached by old Jara, the daughter of Time. She wanted to marry
him, but he refused her. Greatly offended, Jara cursed him that he would never have a fixed place to live. As a
result he travels constantly, playing on his stringed instrument, the vina, as he chants the holy name of the Supreme
Lord Narayana.

During his travels, Narada once came across a proud brahmin priest who had just finished his fire sacrifice.

Seeing the famous sage, the brahmin greeted him, “Namaste, my dear Narada.” Narada replied.

“May your life be successful, my dear brahmin.” “If you are going to the spiritual world,” requested the priest,
“then please do me a favor. Ask Lord Narayan when I am going to join Him there. I think it should be very soon,
but I’d like to verify it anyway.”

“All right,” agreed Narada, “I’ll ask him.”



The next day Narada passed a humble cobbler, the lowest of the castes, repairing shoes by the roadside. “All
glories to you, Narada Muni,” the cobbler called out.

“All glories to the devotees of Lord Narayan,” returned Narada.

"And how are you?” “By the grace of the Lord,” responded the cobbler, “all is well. But speaking of the Lord,
will you be seeing Him soon?”

“Oh yes,” replied Narada. “But why do you ask? Do you want me to speak to Him on your behalf?”

“Oh yes” answered the cobbler. “You see, I’m tired of living in this material world. Please would you ask the
Lord how many more lifetimes I have to wait before going back to the spiritual world?”

“Yes. I’ll certainly do that for you,” replied the sage.
Narada, who has a spiritual body, then left for the spiritual world to see Lord Narayan. Upon arriving he bowed
his head to the lotus feet of the Lord. Narayan received him with honor and affection.

 “How are you, dear Narada? Is there anything I can do for you?”

“By your mercy all is well, my Lord,” replied Narada.

 He then spoke of both the brahmin and the cobbler, putting forward their questions.
Lord Narayan, who knows everything – past, present and future – then informed Narada, “The brahmin will be
returning to Me only after one hundred lifetimes. But I will see the cobbler at the end of his present life.”

Narada was surprised at this answer since it is traditionally considered that brahmins are very spiritually elevated.
Narayan smiled. “When you see the brahmin and the cobbler, they will both ask what I was I doing, Tell them I
was threading an elephant through the eye of a needle. By their reaction to this you will understand everything."



Intrigued by the Lord’s words, Narada left immediately. Arriving at the house of the brahmin, he told him that he
would have to wait one hundred lifetimes. The arrogant brahmin was visibly shocked.

“One hundred lifetimes! I don’t believe you even saw Lord Narayan. Tell me what he was doing.”

“Threading an elephant through the eye of a needle” replied Narada.

“Threading an elephant through the eye of a needle?” spluttered the brahmin. “IMPOSSIBLE! No one can do such
a thing. You are probably lying to me about the one hundred lifetimes as well!"

Unperturbed, Narada took his leave and went to visit the cobbler, He conveyed Narayana’s message that soon he
would be returning to the spiritual realm. “I will go back at the end of this life?” exclaimed the cobbler in great
joy. “How merciful the Lord is! But my dear Narada, please tell me what my Lord was doing and thus bring
pleasure to my heart.”

“Why the Lord was threading an elephant through the eye of a needle.” Narada answered.

“Wonderful! Wonderful!” exclaimed the cobbler.

“You actually believe that?” Narada asked.

“Why, yes, of course,” the cobbler said without hesitation. “See that big oak tree across the road? It came from
just an acorn. So if the Lord can pack a huge oak tree into such a seed, He can easily thread an elephant through
the eye of a needle.”
Seeing the difference between the proud brahmin and the humble cobbler, Narada came to understand why they
were to be rewarded in different ways, Narayan Narayan!!!

Reference: Chinmayam_April_2008

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