Once there were two ants sitting on the rim of a cup that contained amrit, the nectar of immortality. As they were talking, one of the ants lost his balance and was…
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The flea and the elephant
A flea decided to move with his family into the ear of an elephant. So he shouted, “Mr. Elephant, Sir, my family and I plan to move into your ear. I think…
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The saint
There once lived a man so godly that even the angels rejoiced at the sight of him. But, in spite of his great holiness, he had no notion that he was holy.…
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The great fire and the little water
Among the Aztec people of Mexico, it is said that a long time ago there was a great fire in the forests that covered our Earth. People and animals started to run,…
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The fox and the sour grapes
One afternoon, a fox was walking through the forest and spotted a bunch of grapes hanging from a lofty branch. “Just the thing to quench my thirst,” he thought. Taking a couple of steps…
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“He sits as a refiner and purifier of silver”
“He sits as a refiner and purifier of silver.” This verse puzzled some women in a Bible study and they wondered what this statement meant about the character and nature of God. One…
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We connect differently to a personal God
Sri Rama was the maryada-purushottam, the ideal man. The purpose of his avatar was to teach us how to live. On the same day he was born, three other mahapurush, his brothers,…
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Burdens give us wings
An old legend relates that, long ago, God had a great many burdens which he wished to have carried from one place to another on Earth. So he asked the animals to…
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Depth of devotion
Pride once entered the heart of Arjuna, the beloved friend of Lord Sri Krishna. Arjuna thought that none equalled him in love and devotion to his Lord and friend. The omniscient…
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Lord Vishnu and his devotee
Once, Lord Vishnu was seated in his abode, Vaikuntha, along with his beloved wife, Goddess Lakshmi. Suddenly, without any warning, he stood up. Lakshmi had been pressing his feet. She asked, “Lord,…
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Self-surrender has no scope for complaint
Once, when Lord Rama and his brother Lakshmana went to take bath in the Pampa Lake, they thrust their bows and arrows into the ground on the bank. Coming out of the…
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The male emperor penguin and childcare
One of the oddities of nature is the male emperor penguin of Antarctica. What makes him so odd is that he excels at childcare — not always the strongest suit for the…