Vardaan

Once a Mahatama early morning came out of his Ashram to view and feel the pleasant climate. He suddently noticed thousands of Devtas standing in front of his kutiya. Mahatama bowed at them and politely asked for their purpose to give darshan and visit his ashram. The devtas replied we have come to bestow you with vardaan (divine power).

The Mahatma said why now when I have no desires. You should have given me vardaan when I was full of never ending desires. I don't need your vardaan as I have no desires. With great effort I have controlled my mind and surrendered all my desires. Now let me live in peace, please do not tempt me with your vardaan. I am no more myself, I have totally surrendered to my Lord. I have full trust in my God.

Devtaas smiled and said that we don't approach people who are full of lust and desires, we give vardaan to those who are fully surrendered. Devtaas thrust the vardaan on Mahatma and said that with your simple touch a dead person he will become alive, a deaf person will be able to hear,a lame person will be able to walk, a blind will be able to see, all sickness and ailments of a person will disappear with one touch of yours and with one look of yours dry rivers will get water, dry trees will turn green and so on. The devtaas then started leaving. The Mahatma was stunned, he did not know what to do. He immediately rushed behind devtaas and told them if your sincerely want to give vardaan then give me one more vardaan.

The devtaas looked back with surprise that some time back he was flatly refusing to accept this vardaan and now he is demanding more. The Mahatma then begged and said "with great difficulty I have controlled my wishes and desires, I have surrender my EGO, I have immersed that "I" from my life,I have mellowed down and if you thrust this vardaan on me my ego and selfishness will erupt again, if I come to know that my one touch and my one look can give life to so many things and people then I will become egoistic,therefore, please do me a favour you give this vardaan to my shadow. My "I" should not be affected by it. Let people and society benefit with the blessings bestowed upon me by you. I am thankful to you, but do not disturb me. Let me be as I am otherwise I will think I am God, I can cure people of their ailments. The devtaas agreed and gave that vardaan to his shadow and not to Mahatma's EGO.