Story 132 - The Phenomenon of Sin

A man who did not believe in God wrote everywhere on the walls of his house, "God is nowhere." He was an atheist. He was a lawyer, and at one time a client came to him and offered him Rs.

500. He said, "No I will take Rs. 1,000." The client said, "All right. I will pay you Rs. 1,000 if you win the case, but I will pay afterwards: if you want to take Rs. 500, then you may have it first." The lawyer felt sure of success and took up the case. He went to the court, feeling sure that he had done everything right. He had studied the case carefully, but when it came up for hearing, the lawyer of the opposite party brought out such a strong point that he lost the case as well as Rs. 1,000 which he had expected to receive for his services. He came to his house dejected, crest-fallen and in a sad plight. He was leaning over his table in a state of dejection when there came to him his darling child who was just learning to spell. He began to spell out "G-o-d, i-s," further was a long word of so many letters: that word the poor child could not spell. He divided it into two parts, "n-o-w h-e-r-e," and the child jumped up with joy; he was amazed as his own success in spelling out the whole sentence, "God is now here," "God is now here." The same "God is nowhere" was read "God is now here." That is all. Vedanta wants you to spell things in the right way. Do not misread them; do not misspell them. Read this "God is nowhere," (that is to say, the phenomenon of sin, crime) as "God is now here." Even in your sins is proved your Divinity; the Divinity of your nature. Realize that and the whole world blooms for you a Paradise, is converted into a garden or Heaven.

MORAL: Misreading of things causes the phenomenon of sin or crime.

Vol. 1 (107-108)