Growing the crop of Bhakti

Deenu was a poor farmer in Rampur. His father had a small farm where Deenu used to grow sugarcane. But due to the money they owed to Bharat Seth, the farm was no longer their property.

Deenu was a devotee. He prayed to God - O Ram! This seems to be your grace. Please give me the true purpose of my life.

And one day, an old friend of Deenu, whose name was Ramesh visited Rampur from Mumbai. Ramesh met Deenu and heard his sad story.

Then he said - Listen Deenu! I have a small piece of land outside the village. There is nothing on that land except a shop which no one seems to run at the moment. Why don't you start your farming there?

Although that land was very dry and hard, Deenu quickly agreed as his Lord's decision.

Deenu worked hard to till and plow the land. He watered it twice a day to make the soil soft. And then he planted sugarcane in it.

In the evenings too, Deenu stayed in the field and protected it from the birds and passers by.

And by the grace of God, Deenu had a good harvest. The sugarcane he harvested was of very good quality and Deenu managed to make a good profit by selling it in the market.

Moral Of The Story

Jagadguru Shri Kripalu Ji Maharaj refers to this story to teach us how bhakti is so similar

to farming. Just like Deenu tilled the hard soil of his field, the devotee starts depending on God due to his helplessness. Just as Deenu planted the crop in his field, God sows the seed of love for Him through a saint. Just as Deenu watered the plants everyday, the devotee softens his heart by crying and Anukool chintan and fosters it with Nishkamata and Nirantarata. And just as Deenu protected the field from the birds and passers by, the devotee protects his mind from the worldly company.

And with all this hard work, Shri Kripalu Ji says that it is possible that Deenu may not get a good harvest as he did in the story. However, the devotee is guaranteed to get the love of God. This is God's law.