Story 184 - The Story of a shepherd boy and Moses

Maulana, Room, has quoted the story of an illiterate but a sincere shepherd. He says that the shepherd was pray- . ing at the top of Mt. Tar us. "O Lord, be kind and have pity on me. Show me your face. I have brought for you milk of my goat of the best breed. I have myself prepared curd with which I will wash your hair. I will shampoo your feet. I have heard that you are One without a second; all alone, and All in all. I am afraid, when you might be walking, thorns and small pieces of stone might be pricking the sole of your feet. I wonder who must be taking them out. I will take them out one by one. O Lord, be kind unto me. I will fan you to cool your body. I will take the lice out of your hair and I will serve you with all sincerity. Only do me the favour of showing your beautiful face".

When the shepherd was thus praying and weeping, the prophet Moses reached there. On hearing his prayer, he was full of anger, struck him with the rod and said, "O thou infidel (Kafir)! What dost thou say? Thou insultest God and sayest unbecoming words against Him. Has God lice in his hair? Do the thorns and pieces of stone prick the sole of His feel?

O fool, thou canst meet God in this way".

The shepherd said in amazement, "Shall I not meet God"? Moses replied, "No, Thy cursed soul shall not meet God". On hearing this, the shepherd was very much disappointed and he said, 'If it is so, I shall also not live". Hardly had the shepherd uttered these words, when a reverent old man appeared and, to console him, put his hands on his shoulders and said, "If God exists, as He really does exist, He must appear and protect you. If He does not extend His hand of protection even on such an occasion, He shall cut asunder His own hands". According to a Persian poet:

"Hundreds of lives should be sacrificed for him whose heart and tongue are one".

This sort of sincere love for God is religion. Religion is the back bone of the body, mind and intellect. It is the essence of the very existence of man. The merging of mind and intellect in Him is religion. Of whatever caste, creed or colour that shepherd might have been, and whatever might have been the condition of his body, mind and intellect, he did not consider God as something alien. He was all absorbed in God. This was his sincerity. Such was his firm faith in Him.

Moses said unto him, "O shepherd, thou art making fun of God". Rama says "It is they, who might possess greater knowledge of God, but little sincerity for Him, and whose hearts and words are not in unison, are really jeering at God, and not that shepherd."

To have some knowledge about God is one thing, but to have firm faith in Him and to feel His presence is quite a different thing. Truly speaking, that shepherd had faith in God and felt His presence.

Vol. 4 (77—78)