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Rahul was a young householder who used to go to a Guruji and study scriptures everyday under him. One day the Guru was explaining the following passage from the Upanishad:
"No husband is loved by a wife for his own sake as he is the husband but it is all for the sake of the Self No sons are loved by the father for their sake but it is all for the sake of the Self that the sons become dear to him..."

At that stage the Rahul intervened and said, "Sir, I do not agree with this. In my own case both my parents and my wife love me so dearly for my own sake that if I am delayed by a few minutes in reaching home they get highly agitated and if something happens to me they will die." The Guruji said "You shall learn the truth of it tomorrow when you see the result of a test I am going to hold.

Before going to bed tonight you will swallow this herbal powder. As a result you will lie as if dead tomorrow morning but you will be able to hear all that is spoken in your presence. After a few (hours when the effect of this medicine wears out, you will become normal and get up. You will see the fun."

Rahul did as instructed and in the morning his wife and parents found him dead lying motionless without any pulse or heart beat. The father thought of calling the Guruji and asking for his help in reviving his son.

The Guruji was apprised of the situation and he came over to their house. They entreated him to bring back their son to life by using his divine powers. The Guruji asked them to bring a jar full of water and said, "I shall draw out all the bad destiny (Prarabdha) responsible for your son's death into this water. Some one of you will have to drink this water. The one who drinks will die immediately while. your son will be restored to life. Tell me who among you is prepared to die for your son?"

Both the parents refused saying "We are old and are living by helping each other mutually. If one of the partners dies, the other will not have anybody to serve and help him or her and so will also have to die. So our drinking the water is out of question. Guruji looked expectantly at Rahul's young wife. She also said, "I am very young and have not seen anything of this world yet. When such old people who have seen life in its fullness do not want to die how can you expect me to volunteer for death in lieu of my husband who has died by God's will?" A bright idea flashed into the mind of the father who told the Guruji, "Sir, you are a renunciate and you have no relatives, wife or sons to mourn your death. Nobody will miss you when you die. Why don't you drink the water yourself? We give our word to conduct your funeral in a grand manner and will feed hundreds of monks as also poor people on the sixteenth day (Shodasi) of your death."

Rahul had by then been revived to normalcy and was hearing all that was said by his parents and wife. He got up and said "Thanks to my Guruji, today I have learnt how much you all love me. I have decided to take Sannyãs (monkhood) from my Gurudev and serve the Lord who is the only true lover. Farewell to you all."

-Courtesy
Stories For Meditation by
Sri Shãntãnanda Puri Maharãj

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