Hold on to God to prevent falling in life

Hold on to God   to prevent  falling in life

By

P.R.Ramachander

(Based on Tamil   write up of சர்வம் சிவமயம , my face book friend)

Once when   saint Adhi Sankara  ,

Was going   through a  village ,

One rustic  and unlettered  farmer asked,

“They say  depend  on yourself  and not God?”

Adhi  Sankara   told   that  doubting rustic,

“Let us  cross  this small   stream together m

And I will answer   your question  after ,

Crossing it “ and he  nodded   yes.

There was a bridge  made of  piece  of a palm,

And both crossed  it  but   while crossing ,

They held    to  a bamboo stick   and they ,

Both  reached   to the other  shore safely.

Adhi Sankara  thanked   that  rustic  and he asked,

“Why thank me  for it is due to that  piece of palm”

Then smilingly  Adhi SAnkara asked, “Oh is it so,

But if it is  , why did we   hold  to that bamboo stick?”

The rustic laughed out loud  and said , “I thought you knew,

If  we do  not hold it  , we may   slip and fall  in the stream.”

Sankara  said, “That  is the answer  to your question,

To cross  this life , we tru to   depend  only  on ourselves.”

“But we  may slip and fall from it  just like the bridge,

And for that  purpose  we do catch hold   very tightly  ,

The  reassuring  lotus feet of God , just like  that Bamboo,

For   it is he   who guides us in our acts and prevents our falling.”