In a park in the village of Tanko a boy was plucking flowers and singing. An old man came there listening to the song. He asked the boy, “My boy! You sang a song now. Who taught you that song?”

The boy replied, “Sri Krishna appeared before me in a dream and taught me that song.”

The old man blessed this boy that he would become a great devotee and have darshan of the Lord.

The boy Ramadas grew up. He was married. But he took up his mission to do Bhajans and singing the Lord’s name. He would go around the streets begging with his brass bowl. He would conclude his ekadashi fast only after feeding at least a few devotees.

On Ekadashi day he would walk forty miles all the way to Dwaraka, deck the image of Krishna with flowers with garlands of Tulasi and feel delighted. He would feed the devotees before retuning home. This went on for a number of years.

As he grew old, one day he could not walk to Dwaraka. One day, thoroughly exhausted he stopped half way near a temple and went to sleep chanting the Lord’s name

In a dream, he had a vision of Sri Krishna. The Lord consoled him and said, “I will come to your place. You take me to your place.”

Ramadas woke up and looked around. There was a golden chariot. He ran and mounted the chariot. He saw that the Lord’s image was also in the chariot.

Ramadas continued to gaze at his beloved Lord as the chariot moved and stopped near his house. Ramadas installed the image in the front courtyard and started doing Bhajans.

The next morning, people in Dwaraka were startled to find the image of the Lord missing.

Soldiers started searching for the image everywhere. Presently it came to be known that the image was at Ramadas’s place. People started for his place.

Learning this, Ramadas was perturbed that he would be considered to have stolen the Lord. No one would believe that the Lord came with him of his own accord.

Fearing public accusation, Ramadas placed the image on a box and lowered it into a well. The people as well as officers came and searched the place everywhere. At last they searched the well and found the image there.

When they found the image, they made ready to take the image to Dwaraka. Ramadas was in great anguish to be separated from his Lord. He banged his forehead on the feet of the Lord in agony.

Suddenly he heard a formless voice tell him, “Say that you will give gold equal to that of the image. They will accept the proposal and leave the image with you.”

Accordingly Ramadas told the soldiers, “Sirs, please leave the divine image. I shall give you gold equal to that of this image”

The panchayat was assembled. They all felt that there must have been some miracle in the image coming so far as it was not possible for one man to have carried the image all the way. So they decided that if he gave gold equal to the weight of the Lord they would make another image and leave the divine image with Ramadas.

A balance was set up. Ramadas placed on it, his wife’s nose stud and chain. The assembled people laughed. Ramadas said, “This is all the gold I have.”

Then praying to the Lord, Ramadas placed a Tulasi leaf on the pan.

As soon as the Tulasi leaf was placed, the two pans balanced each other. At once all of them realized the greatness of Ramadas’s devotion and fell at his feet.

On that spot where Ramadas placed and worshipped the Lord, the public raised a temple. Even today the songs of Ramadas of Dwaraka are being sung there.

Once, Krishna and Arjuna were conversing. He praised Karna for his charity. He said “None can equal Karna in charity.” Arjuna was becoming jealous and he said that he was equal to Karna in charity.

Just at that time, one man was coming towards them. He looked like one who needed alms. He came to them and said, “My wife has died. To cremate her I am looking for sandalwood. Can you help me?” Arjuna asked for a servant to arrange for that. After sometime the servant returned empty handed along with the Brahmin. He said, “There is no stock of sandal wood anywhere, not even in the market”

Arjuna excused himself saying that there was nothing that he could do.

The brahmin then approached Karna.

Karna also tried to procure sandalwood but it was not available anywhere. Karna did not feel like letting anyone go without giving them what they wanted. He remembered that the pillars of his palace were made up of sandalwood. He ordered for an axe and he chopped the pillars. The sections of the palace collapsed but he still continued chopping and stopped only after he had enough sandal wood for the brahmin.

On the way back Krishna and Arjuna met the brahmin. Krishna enquired how he managed to get the sandal wood. The brahmin replied, “The great Karna chopped off his pillars to give me this sandal wood.”

Krishna now turned to Arjuna and said, “Now, do you understand why I always praise Karna? “

Arjuna understood Krishna’s point.

Poonthanam was a great devotee of Lord Guruvaayoorappan. He and Bhattathiri, the author of Naaraayaneeyam were great friends. Bhattathiri had presented Poonthanam a ring that Poonthanam always wore.

Poonthanam used to go through a forest to Guruvayoor to have the darshan of the Lord.

One day he got delayed when he started. As a result of starting late, it was twilight and he was still walking in the forest. Three robbers waylaid him. The robbers started searching him. Poonthanam was very scared and prayed to his Lord. Suddenly there was sound of horses. Hearing the noise the robbers ran away. The minister of Guruvayoor was coming accompanied by his soldiers.

Poonthanam thanked the minister for his timely help and begged him to accept a gift as a token of gratitude. The minister asked for the ring that Poonthanam was wearing.

Though Poonthanam knew that it was given to him as a token of affection by Bhattathiri, he decided that he should give him the ring. Accordingly he removed the ring and gave it to the minister. The minister went away and Poonthanam reached Gururvaayoor safely.

That night, the temple priest had a dream. The Lord appeared in the dream and told him to remove the ring in his foot and return it to Poonthanam as it was his.

The next day, Poonthanam came into the temple after his bath. The temple priest promptly brought him the ring that he had found on the Lord’s feet and returned it conveying his dream.

Poonthanam was speechless! Only now, did he realised who had come as the Guruvaayoor minister.

Once, in Heaven there was a discussion among the gods to decide where the miraculous secret power, the power by which man can achieve anything in this world was to be kept hidden. One of the Gods suggested that it could be kept hidden in the depths of the Sea. Another said it could be buried on top of high mountains. The third one thought of a cave in the woods as the right place. At last, the most intelligent among them said, ‘Keep it in the depths of man’s mind. He will never suspect that the power is hidden there because right from his childhood, his mind is prone to wandering and he will not look within. Only the intelligent among them will look within, and use the power and become great.’ All gods agreed.

So, do you see that the difference between two people lies in their minds? One knows how to tap its power and the other does not. So, the truth expressed here is that in the depths of man’s mind lies hidden the miraculous power, using which one can become great.

When you ran around the house getting ready, I knew there would be a few minutes for you to stop and say hello, but you were too busy. At one point you had to wait fifteen minutes with nothing to do except sit in a chair. Then I saw you spring to your feet. I thought you wanted to talk to me but you ran to the phone and called a friend to get the latest gossip instead. I watched patiently all day long. With all our activities I guess you were too busy to say anything to me. I noticed that before lunch you looked around, maybe you felt embarrassed to talk to me that am why you didn't bow your head. You glanced three or four tables over and you noticed some of your friends talking to me briefly before they ate, but you didn't. That's okay. There is still more time left, and I hope that you will talk to me yet.You went home and it seems as if you had lots of things to do. After a few of them were done, you turned on the TV. I don't know if you like TV or not, just about anything goes there and you spend a lot of time each day in front of it not thinking about anything, just enjoying the show. I waited patiently again as you watched the TV and ate your meal, but again you didn't talk to me.Bedtime I guess you felt too tired. After you said goodnight to your family you plopped into bed and fell asleep in no time. That's okay because you may not realize that I am always there for you. I've got patience, more than you will ever know. I even want to teach you how to be patient with others as well. I love you so much that I wait everyday for a nod, prayer or thought, or a thankful part of your heart. It is hard to have a one-sided conversation.Well, you are getting up once again. Once again I will wait, with nothing but love for you. Hoping that today you will give me some time.