Lord Rama, a Boatman – Story
Sri Rama went to the forest for exile.
As per the father’s orders, Sita and Lakshmana go with him.
They had to cross the river Ganges and go to the other side.
The boatman Guha was the first to see Rama.
He knew everything about Sri Rama. Unable to see Sri Rama, who had renounced the country and stood before him, Guha’s eyes became wet.
“What can I do for you Sri Rama?” he asks with devotion.
“I want to Cross the Ganges to go to the other side.”
Then Guha saw a boat that dropped off someone and got ready to leave.
Kewat is a boatman. Guha approaches him and says: “Kewat bring your boat here”
The boat is approaching.
Guha told: Kewat, do you know who is standing here? The Maharaja of Ayodhya, Sri Rama, that is Sita Devi, his wife, that is Lakshmana his brother.
Kevat offered respects to Sri Rama, Lakshmana and Sita.
He usually wakes up every morning. Even before going to sleep at night, he recites the name of Sri Rama.
Kevat said: “Guha, I will bring them to the other side of the Ganga..”.
.
Before Lord Rama boarded the boat, both Kewat and his wife bathed Lord Rama’s feet with Ganga water and sprayed the water on his head.
Kewat cleans Sri Rama’s feet with his garment to wipe off the dust and takes everyone by the hand into the boat.
Sri Rama asks Kewat: “Why are you doing this?”
Kewat says that when their holy feet were touched, the stone became a woman, and if their feet become a woman, what will I do if this boat turns into something else? I have only one boat.”
Kewat says that he got the Lotus feet of Rama cleaned and then sprinkled the water on his head
In the midst of this discussion, the other side of the Ganga arrives.
Kewat helps Sri Rama and Lakshmana to get down from the boat. Kewat’s wife helps Mata Sita Devi to get down from the boat.
Sita happily removes one of her rings and gives it to Sri Rama and tells Rama : “Give this ring to him as a gift..”.
Kewat refuses to accept the gift saying, “Mata, please don’t give any gift.”
Rama told Kewat: “Oh, Kewat, don’t accept this as a gift, accept it as a reward for taking us across the Ganges in a boat”
Kewat says: “I won’t accept compensation for my service to you Sri Rama”
“Why are you talking so strangely? Why don’t you take wages from me?”- Sri Rama asked.
“Business ethics Prabhu”.
“Please tell clearly Kewat” Rama asked.
Kewat says: ‘A sailor does not take wages when he serves another sailor. A bleacher does not take wages from another bleacher. This is the world custom.”
Rama asks Kewat: “I don’t understand. Explain in detail Kewat. You are a boatman”
“You don’t understand me Prabhu. You see, we both are boatmen. I am just a streamer who helps to cross this water from one bank to the other. But you are the Vast One who saves everyone from the miseries of birth and death and from this sea of samsara. Isn’t it?. We both are boatmen. I am a small boatman. You are a gigantic big boatman. Our profession is the same Swami. Help me to cross this samsara sagara one day and nullify your accounts”
Saying so, Kewat bows down to Sri Rama’s feet.
Lord Rama is a boatman.
Hearing this from Kewat, Sri Rama’s eyes are wet with water…
Hare Krishna Hare Krishna Krishna Krishna Hare Hare
Hare Rama Hare Rama Rama Rama Hare Hare.
(POLITICS IN KALIYUGA – STOR! READ HERE!)