God Alone might save me

God Alone might save me

Long time ago a king had no children. A learned man suggested sacrificing a child in front of the Devi.

The king announced a large reward if a family would give their child for the purpose. A poor couple had four sons. In order to get the reward they offered their 13-year-old boy to the king.

The boy was taken to the palace. He was bathed, properly groomed from head to toes, nicely dressed, and sumptuously fed. He was then given a last chance to do what he wished.

The boy wanted to perform a puja (ritual worship) at the riverbank. There he sat down on the sand and carefully built 4 sand piles. He then prayed before one of them and demolished it. He did the same to the send and the third. The boy did not destroy the fourth pile.

The king was curious and asked the boy the meaning of all he had done. The boy answered: “The first pile symbolized parents and family. They offered me to be sacrificed just for a little money. I rule them out from my list of well-wishers. The second pile stood for my community that I thought would always support me, but they failed me. I rule them out also. The third pile was for my king and he too proved useless. So I flattened his pile too. The fourth pile represents God. I have not destroyed because I do not know what He would do when all others have failed.

The king was so impressed he cancelled the sacrifice and adopted the boy. He grew up as the crown prince and in time became the king.
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January 29, 2005