Once there was an elephant called Bansi. He used to work in a circus. He got old and died one night. After dying, he met Yamraj, the God of death. Yamraj asked Bansi, " you are so big in size. Your trainer was not even as tall your your leg. Still, you became his slave, How?" Bansi replied, " Yamraj, human beings are very smart and cunning. They can enslave anyone. " Yamraj laughed and said, "we have some many human's dying and coming here all the time. They seem harmless. To this, Bansi replied, " The humans who come to you are all dead. Try getting a living person here and see for yourself."
Yamraj rose to the elephants challenge. He ordered his assistants to go and get a living person. The Assistants set off to a village in Meerut District of Uttar Pradesh. There, Shyam, a utensil trader, was resting on the terrace of his house on a charpoy. Shyam's family was tradionaly in the utensil business and Shyam had expanded his fathers business in quick time. The assistants picked the charpoy and started taking Shyam to Yamraj. Shyam woke up with a start. He was shocked to see two ferocious men in dark attire picking his charpoy. HE recognized the assistants of Yamraj. He regained his composure after a brief bout of panic. Shyam quickly grabbed the pen and paper lying on his charpoy, quickly wrote something on it and put it in his pocket and closed his eyes.
Whatever may happen now, we will see, Shyam thought.
Next morning, the assistants presented Shyam at Yamraj's morning sabha. Shyam, understanding what was happening, quickly took our the piece of paper that was in his pocket and handed it over to one of the assistants and asked him to handed over the paper to Yamraj.
Yamraj, started reading the letter aloud. It said
" Namaskaar to Yamraj from Lord Vishnu.
I am sending my accountant Shyam to your palace.
Please make sure he takes all decisions now in your line of work.
Respectfully,
Vishnu,
Vaikhunt Palace"
Lord Vishnu had signed on this paper. Yamraj was shocked. However, he would never dare to ignore instruction from Lord Vishnu. He had to comply!
Yamraj, ordered that Shyam be put on his throne and asked all his assistants to take instructions from him only. So Shyam became the overlord of Yamraj's palace. As he was put on the throne, some assistants were bringing another dead man to the palace. Shyam asked the assistants who this man was. The Assistant said, "Lord, he is a thief and smuggler. He has killed and looted a lot of people. What should be done with him?"
Shyam thought for a minute and replied, " Send him to Vaikhunt, Lord Vishnu's palace"
Than the assistants brought another man. He was a milk man. The assistant told shyam he used to mix water in the milk and cheat people. Shyam again ordered that he be sent to Vaikhunt.
After that, the assistants brought a fraudster, who used to make false papers and steal others land and property. Shyam ordered, " NO need to ask me, send everyone to Vaikhunt. Any evil person, murderer, thief, any characterless person comes, just send him to Vaikhunt."
In Vaikhunt, Lord Vishnu was a very worried man. So many people started to come to Vaikhunt. It seems nobody was going to hell, everyone was coming to Vaikhunt, the heavenly abode of Lord Vishnu. He figured something was wrong and decided to go to Yamraj's sabha
Yamraj was surprised to see Lord Vishnu come unannounced. He and Everyone in his Sabha got up to greet Lord Vishnu.
Lord Vishnu asked, "Yamraj, has everyone turned into a pious holy person? Why are you sending everyone to Vaikhunt." Yamraj pleaded, " Lord, your sent your accountant Shyam here. He is taking all decisions!" Lord Vishnu was shocked. He looked at Shyam and asked, "when did i send you?" Shyam was prepared. "Lord, Whatever happens, happens with your permission. I could not have come here on my own free will. The fact that i could come here means it had your consent. Everything in the world happens with your consent. You alone decide!!"
Lord Vishnu was very angry at this upstart. He said, " you fool, you are sending everyone to heaven. Have you lost it? " Shyam folded his hands and prostrated, " My Lord, If sending people to heaven is a crime than every holy men be punished. I am just helping people get salvation. Isn't that what reading the scriptures supposed to do. It is a noble cause. If you dont agree, please send all of them back. But than you will have to delete the paragraph from Bhagvat Gita where you say,
WHOEVER HAS ACHIEVED ME, BECOME ONE WITH ME, WILL NEVER COME BACK TO THIS WORLD
Lord Vishnu replied, " What you say is right. Whoever has unified with me, no matter how evil the person, will get free forever! All his bad Karmas are neutralized for eternity. But why did you do this?'
Shyam replied without any hesitation, " I have not done any crime. I am just helping others. If i have power, I will do whatever good I can do. Why should i punish anybody? I know i have got power for some time. This power will not stay forever. So why should i not do good deeds while i Can? Is is wrong to help others?"
Lord Vishnu was by now amused by Shyam's intelligence and conviction. He said, "ok Shyam, you made your point. Now go back to earth!" Shyam replied, " How can i go back. You have said in Geeta that whoever achieves me will never have to be born again. he is freed from the cycle of birth and death. So why should i go back to earth and get in this loop of birth and death again?"
Lord Vishnu started laughing and said, " Ok Shyam, you come with me to Vaikhunt!"
The elephant Bansi was standing close by and watching all the drama. He was stationed at Yamraj's sabha for long as his decision was pending. Bansi looked at yamraj and said, " See,i told you. These Human's are very smart. Now, do you believe me? Yamraj just nodded similingly.
Shyam said, " Lord, it is because of this elephant Bansi that i am going to Vaikhunt. Lets take him also along with us."
Lord Replied, "SO BE IT"
THE END
LEARNINGS
1. The story is mythical but the message is very pertinent. Whenever we get power/opportunity, let's make it a point to help others. A lot of us don't do that. There is some hidden emotion/ way of thinking which prevents us from helping others even when there is no cost to us.
2. Let's not harm anyone, trouble anyone. If someone helped us knowing/unknowingly, let us return the favor. Shyam understood that the elephant Bansi is the reason for his good fortune. He never forgot to take him along!
3. Because of his sharp mind, not only Shyam made the best of his situation but was also able to get highest reward of human life- Freedom from the cycle of birth and death! This story teaches us that no matter how difficult the circumstances, we can use our intellect to cross all hurdles and achieve the best in life.
STORY CREDIT: We would like to thank @SanatanTalks for the series of tweets on which this story is based
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