TRAIN AND VAIKUNTA – STORY
Once upon a time many years ago, the British began building trains that would travel far and wide throughout India.
In one of the villages where the train would come, there lived simple village folk who had no idea what a train looked like, so when the time had come to greet the train, the village elders decided sent a young boy to first sight the train and then let everyone know ‘what’ was coming to their village.
On the evening of its expected arrival, the villagers patiently and inquisitively waited for the young boy to return back and tell them what the ‘train’ actually is.
Eventually day turned to night and everyone in the Village became anxious and excited, knowing the train’s arrival was forthcoming.
The fact was no one in the Village had any idea of what a train was.
So the young boy was told to immediately report back to the Village elders as soon as he identifies the train.
In the meantime everyone waited patiently in the dark for the boy to bring the news and satisfy everyone’s curiosity.
The night sky was clear and there was a slight breeze in the air, the boy heard the usual sounds of animals although;
even they were quite on this still moonless chilly night. Then to his surprise, out of the pitch-black darkness and the still of night he heard this unusual thunderous high-pitched sound that sounded like nothing he had ever heard before.
The sound thundered through the night air, then silence, then thundering again.
Being thrilled, he was convinced what the train was and excitedly ran back to the village elders and told them, “The train is a big thunderous sound, an immense sound and nothing else”
Some of the elders were puzzled, but most accepted the news as final and accepted that a train is just a loud thunderous sound.
Some however, were still not convinced saying, ”How can there be just a sound, what is the cause and source of that sound?”
Feeling more inquisitive a few decided to send another young boy down to investigate this horn like sound and if there was more to what a train really is.
They told the second young boy to wait well into the darkness of night until he saw the source of the sound.
In due course, after hearing the sound getting louder and louder, to his surprise, he finally saw in the distance what he thought was the source of the sound; it was an extremely bright shining effulgent light.
Being excited he rushed back to the elders proclaiming, ‘The trains thunderous sound originates from a ‘bright blinding light’.
Many at the village where now convinced what a train was and most where satisfied however, still a few were not satisfied and thought ‘Wait a minute, where is that light coming from that makes the horn like sound? Is there more to a train than an impersonal sound or light? ‘
Still not satisfied, the remaining few village elders’ had come to the conclusion that the light also must have a source and were determined to find it, they therefore sent a third boy to investigate what the train really is.
‘Was it more than just a sound and bright light’? The discussed amongst themselves.
The third young boy went to investigate and waited patiently for as long as it would take to see the truth of what the train really is. As he waited, the sound grew louder and louder and the light was getting brighter and brighter – then to his surprise, both the thunderous sound and blinding light passed him by.
To his astonishment, he discovered the source of both the sound and light, coming from the form of the train, like carriages that were filled with people like him, all engaging in all kinds of different personal activities.
He excitedly ran back to the village yelling, ‘The train is a structure built by personalities who are engaged in all kinds of activity. This is the source of the sound and light that radiates through the night sky.
In this way the Villagers eventually saw the train for what it really is beyond the sound and the light emanating from it.
‘Similarly beyond this material world and the impersonal Brahma Jyoti is the wonderful eternal devotionally active abode of unlimited Lord Vishnu’s on the Vaikuntha planets. And ultimately Lord Krishna in His supreme abode of Goloka Vrndavana from whence the entire creation radiates’.