Karma Comes Around In the shadow of a mountain, a guru was living with his disciple. They were busy eating the fruits of the forest, bathing, praying, and meditating. The guru was very knowledgeable and had a unique power: during meditation, he could see into the future. One day, he realized during his meditation that his disciple would die exactly eight days from that moment. This revelation brought great sorrow to the guru. He felt pain at the thought of a young life ending so soon. After a while of contemplation, the guru called his disciple and suggested, "Child, go back to your hometown and spend time with your parents and siblings for eight days." This made the disciple very happy. "O Guru, I was just thinking about this. I have been eager to see my father, mother, and brother." The disciple bowed to the guru and set off. The guru reminded him, "Be back before sunset on the eighth day." "Alright, Guru. Please take care of your health; you are getting older. I will finish my work and come back," he assured the guru before leaving for his village. On the way to his village, he encountered a river that he needed to cross. As he reached the river, he saw an ant hill by the riverbank, teeming with thousands of ants bustling about, moving in and out. Watching their industriousness amused him, and he paused for a moment to observe them. A little later, he saw that the river’s water was rising, and waves were advancing. He thought, oh no, if the water reaches the ant hill, what will happen to these ants and their home? Without hesitating, he opened up the cloth he was wearing and wrapped it around the ant hill, protecting it from the rising water. He carefully placed stones around the edges to prevent the cloth from floating away. He even made a small hole for any water to escape in case it came in. With his task done, he returned home feeling content. At home, he joyfully spent the full eight days with his parents and siblings. As the eighth day approached, he remembered the guru's words about returning by sunset. When night fell, he prepared to leave, ensuring everything was in order. At dawn on the ninth day, he set out early and walked briskly, determined to reach the guru's ashram before sunset. Meanwhile, the guru, seeing that his disciple had not come on the eighth day, was worried that perhaps he had died and couldn’t witness his last moments. Just then, in the dusk of the evening, he spotted someone approaching from a distance. Squinting his eyes, he recognized the familiar figure of his beloved disciple. The guru rushed forward and embraced him tightly, overwhelmed with joy and tears. After a moment of recovery, the guru asked, "My disciple, it has been eight days since you left for your village, how is it that you are alive and back?" The disciple began to recount every detail of his time at home, including the delicious food made by his mother, the love of his father, and the games he played with his siblings. Finally, he mentioned the giant ant hill by the riverbank and how he protected it as the water was rising, ensuring that the ants and their home wouldn't be washed away. The guru understood that his disciple had saved the lives of countless ants and felt that such a virtuous deed granted the disciple a long life. Inspired by this, the guru quietly muttered, "Karma comes around." In life, humans navigate between right and wrong. Mistakes can sometimes occur more frequently, while at other times, righteousness prevails. However, the joy and peace from doing good deeds cannot be found elsewhere. Such actions not only provide satisfaction for one’s soul but also help in preventing death and washing away sins. There’s a universal rule about good and bad actions: good deeds yield manifold returns, while bad deeds bring severe consequences. One must remember this and strive to continue performing good actions with a positive mindset, maintaining faith in the divine. This is Krishna's message. Blog: Ramya Purana Punyakathagalu With regards, Written by: Asha Nagabhooshan