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There is a pond named Shravan Talavadi. A fair was held there. At this fair, bathing in the pond was considered important. So Dharmdev and others came to the fair. Young Ghanshyam also accompanied them. A mendicant (friar) Saint was sitting on its bank in a typical posture. Some blind persons were sitting with him and were beseeching him: “O mendicant, give us eye-sight.” The mendicant said, “Give me money and I will give you eye-sight with a blow of air from my mouth.”

“O good man, how can we give you money? We don’t have it. We earn our livehood by begging. Still we get one meal a day and die of hunger for four times. Where shall we bring money from?” replied the blind. “Go away then,” said the mendicant. Ghanshyam saw this. He felt it too much. He stopped the blind people who were going away disappointed. He said to them: “O devotees, don’t be disappointed. God is merciful.”

The blind said, “When you say it, we feel God is really merciful. We are waiting to have a glimpse of Him.” Ghanshyam caressed their eyes with his tender arm and said: “Can you see anything?” The blind shouted with joy, “Yes, we can see, yes, we see it twinkling. We see the young Kanaiya. He is standing with His legs twisted, and He is playing on the flute. O, what a wonderful flute playing!” “Right from today you will always be able to see Kanaiya and hear his flute playing. Tell me, do you want to see anything more?” said Ghanshyam. “No,” said the blind, “everything consists in this.” Firm faith (trust) in God is a remedy of all troubles.

EXERCISE

Can you answer the following questions:-

(a) Why did the blind go to the mendicant?

(b) The blind had no money. If they had, and if they had given it to mendicant, would the mendicant have given eye-sight to them?

(c) Which words of the blind prove that they had firm faith in young Ghanshyam?

(d) What kind of mercy was showered upon by Ghanshyam?