Tale Bearer: Aaji
Reference: Sister Nivedita (Cradle Tales of Hinduism)
Reference: Sister Nivedita (Cradle Tales of Hinduism)
There was once a child called Gopala who lived with his mother. His father had passed away when he was quite young. When Gopala was four or five years old, his mother felt that it was time he went to school. The times where Gopala lived, little boys went to a 'gurukul', which was in the middle of the forest and where all the pupils from nearby villages used to study.
When all was ready, carefully choosing an auspicious day, she blessed her little son, and stood at the cottage door, watching him go down the forest-path to his first lessons. Gopala, went on and on. The road seemed very long, and he was beginning to wonder if he had lost his way, when at last the 'gurukul' came in sight, after spending the day studying when at last he set out to go home, it was almost dark. It grew darker and darker, and he could hear the roars of wild beasts. At last he was so frightened that he did not know what to do, and so began to run and never stopped till he reached his home safe and sound.
Next morning he did not want to go to school. "But," said his mother, "Why do you not wish to go today?""I am afraid to go alone through the forest."And then he stood there, with a sad face.
Now the mother was in a fix she didn't have anybody to send with him to school. So she told her little boy a story. She said, "You know, my child, there lives in these woods another son of mine who is also called Gopala. He herds cows in the forest you pass.He is always somewhere, near the path, and if you call out to him, O, Gopal Bhaiya(Cowherd Brother), come with me to school!. He will come and take care of you, and then you will not be scared, will you ? "
And Gopala said, "Is it really true that my Brother will come and take care of me?"
And his mother said, "Yes, it is true — just as true as it is that you are God's child, and that He loves you."
So he set out bravely enough, but a little way down the forest path it was rather dark, and he began to feel afraid. He could hear his own heart go pit-a-pat. So he called out, "O Gopal Bhaiya (Brother Cowherd), come lead me through the forest!"
The bushes first began to rustle, and then parted, and out came a boy's head, with a little gold crown on it, and a peacock's feather in the crown. Then a big boy jumped out and took the child's hand, and they played all the way to school.
And so this continued for days, Gopala was happy because he did not have to fear the forest any more, as his cowherd brother accompanied him.
When all was ready, carefully choosing an auspicious day, she blessed her little son, and stood at the cottage door, watching him go down the forest-path to his first lessons. Gopala, went on and on. The road seemed very long, and he was beginning to wonder if he had lost his way, when at last the 'gurukul' came in sight, after spending the day studying when at last he set out to go home, it was almost dark. It grew darker and darker, and he could hear the roars of wild beasts. At last he was so frightened that he did not know what to do, and so began to run and never stopped till he reached his home safe and sound.
Next morning he did not want to go to school. "But," said his mother, "Why do you not wish to go today?""I am afraid to go alone through the forest."And then he stood there, with a sad face.
Now the mother was in a fix she didn't have anybody to send with him to school. So she told her little boy a story. She said, "You know, my child, there lives in these woods another son of mine who is also called Gopala. He herds cows in the forest you pass.He is always somewhere, near the path, and if you call out to him, O, Gopal Bhaiya(Cowherd Brother), come with me to school!. He will come and take care of you, and then you will not be scared, will you ? "
And Gopala said, "Is it really true that my Brother will come and take care of me?"
And his mother said, "Yes, it is true — just as true as it is that you are God's child, and that He loves you."
So he set out bravely enough, but a little way down the forest path it was rather dark, and he began to feel afraid. He could hear his own heart go pit-a-pat. So he called out, "O Gopal Bhaiya (Brother Cowherd), come lead me through the forest!"
The bushes first began to rustle, and then parted, and out came a boy's head, with a little gold crown on it, and a peacock's feather in the crown. Then a big boy jumped out and took the child's hand, and they played all the way to school.
And so this continued for days, Gopala was happy because he did not have to fear the forest any more, as his cowherd brother accompanied him.
One day the guru (his teacher) announced that he must give a feast. And Gopala had to take something too, Now the mother did not have anything to give, she told him "I cannot give you anything to take to your teacher, but ask your Gopal Bhaiya in the forest for something as you go to school in the morning” she said.
So in the morning Gopala and his Bhaiya (big brother) played all the way to school; but just as He was leaving, Gopala said to him, "O Brother, I almost forgot. Will you give me something for my teacher today? He is going to have a feast." "What can I give you? I am, but a poor cowherd ? Oh, but I know " - and away He ran for a moment, and came back with a little bowl of kheer (Indian sweet-meat). And He said, “Take this, Gopala and give it to your teacher."
And so Gopala took it, people had got varied things for the teacher. And nobody paid much attention to Gopala and his little bowl of kheer. Tears stood in the eyes of Gopala, when his teacher chanced to look at him. He took the tiny pot of kheer from his hands, and went to empty it into a larger vessel, but,to his wonder, the pot filled up again. Again he poured; again the little pot was full. And so he went on, while it filled faster than he could empty it. Everybody ate their fill. Still the little cup was full.
So when the master turned to him with the question, "Where did you get this kheer ? " he answered, "I got it in the forest, from my Gopal Bhaiya (Cowherd Brother)"
"Who Gopal Bhaiya?"
"One who comes and plays with me on my way to school," said Gopala. "He wears a crown on His head, with a peacock's feather in it, and carries a flute in His hand. When I reach school He goes back and tends His cows, and when I am going home He comes again to play with me."
"Can you show me your Brother in the forest? "
"If you come with me, I can call."
Gopal and his teacher went home together. When they reached the jungle, Bhaiya did not appear. Gopal called out to him "Cowherd Brother! Won't you come?". No reply. He called out as loud as he could, again and again and again. Echo only answered. The boy began to cry. He was afraid, his teacher would think that he was lying. The teacher pacified him: "God appears when there is no one else to support my son, is what the holy books say. He appears to little children, whose hearts are pure. I have to become as pure as a child in heart, to see him," he explained. He raised his hands in prayer to god Krishna. "O! Lord,thou hast not been benign to give me your darshan (the blessing of seeing your form). But you have shown me the miracle of a child's faith. That is enough. Great is your name!"
PS- This is one of my favorite stories from childhood that I heard from my granny. That God would just come if you need him. Painting from Indian artist Jamini Roy (Padma Bhushan 1954)
