In a cautionary tale, a Muslim, a Christian and a Hindu are crossing a river in a ferry. A storm springs up and the ferry is pitched and tossed about. The passengers begin to pray for salvation. "Save me, Allah", pleads the Muslim. And a divine being on a winged horse carries the Muslim to safety. "Save me, dear God", cries the Christian. And a chariot of fire descends and conveys him to the shore. "Save me, oh save me!", begs the Hindu. But despite all his entreaties, no help is forthcoming and the poor fellow drowns. He finds himself in Heaven, where Brahma welcomes him with a warm "Swagat". "What swagat!", the newcomer huffs. "How you showed me up in front of that Muslim and that Christian. They prayed to their respective gods who came and saved them. But though i prayed and prayed, no one bothered to come and save me", he grumbles. Brahma shrugs helplessly. "What could I do, my son. You started praying to Vishnu to save you, so I adopted that avatar and was coming for you, when you began to call on Ram. I was stringing my bow as Ram, when you suddenly called Krishna, I was getting my flute and my gopis, when you invoked Durga. 1 was putting kajal in my eyes before coming to rescue you, and in the meantime you went and drowned".
Thursday, October 18, 2007
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