Cheeku rabbit was very happy today, as he was carrying a plate of puja offerings and in it, there were two Rs. 500 notes as well.
Meeku mouse saw him and asked, “Where are you going with the puja plate and money?”
“My wish has been fulfilled. I have been cured now. The Baba had promised that he would solve everyone’s troubles. For something like this, I would not hesitate to offer the Baba even Rs. 5000. I was saved in the nick of time from dying. Nothing can be greater than that,” explained Cheeku and continued walking towards the temple.
Baddy fox had come to Champakvan in the guise of a new Baba a few days ago.
Baba claimed to solve the problems of people and in return, they would offer him money and sweets. Baba’s ashram was always very crowded. Some people would come to get their wishes fulfilled and some to make an offering after their wishes were granted.
“God did not listen to me. I’ve failed this time too. What should I do now?” cried Jumpy monkey, standing next to Cheeku.
“You need to work harder. When the right time comes, your problem will be solved,” said Baba while hitting Jumpy on his head with the holy broom. Saying this Baba turned to the next person. As Cheeku came out after giving his offerings, Damru donkey, came to him shouting “Jai ho! Jai ho!”
“What happened Damru? You look very happy,” asked Cheeku.
“I saw God! I found God! I saw the miracle of God,” said Damru dancing with joy and moved ahead.
Everyone was surprised to hear this.
The news that Damru saw God spread like fire in the jungle.
“How is that possible? What does God look like?” everyone was curious to know. Everyone headed to Damru’s house in a group. “If Damru can see God, then why can’t we?” some of the animals thought.
“Damru, will you not make us see God too?” asked Teetu butterfly pleadingly.
“Why not! Anyone can see God. Let me show you now,” said Damru as he put a hand in his pocket and gave a mirror to Teetu.
“You can see God in this,” said Damru.
“But this is a mirror. I can only see my own face in this. Where is God in this?” said Teetu.
Cheeku too peeked into the mirror and saw his own face instead of God.
Damru went near Cheeku so his reflection too appeared in the mirror. Damru jumped up and said, “See! See! There are two Gods now.”
“Silly! These are our own faces,” said Cheeku angrily.
“How do you know these are our own faces?” said Damru.
Everybody laughed when they heard Damru say this.
Jumpy shook his head and said, “Damru there is a scientific reason behind seeing our faces in the mirror. It happens due to the reflection of light and we can see our face in the mirror. This is not called seeing God.”
“If you understand all this then why do you go and bow down in front of the Baba?” asked Damru angrily.
Everyone was surprised to know the relationship between devotion to Baba and the reflection in the mirror.
Damru took a deep breath and said, “Friends! There was a time when people did not know about mirrors.”
“Yes,” said Cheeku in agreement.
“They did not understand that light reflection makes us see our face in the mirror. But today we know about this. Science has helped us. But why do we still believe in things like miracles by Baba?”
“For occurrences where there is a reason, we do not think of them as a miracle of God. But for things which we don’t know a scientific reason, we think them to be miracles of God,” said Damru. “Everyone runs to the Babas and temples and they trap you.
We make offerings to them saying that God should fulfil our wish. The work gets done through a scientific reason but people will think the work has been done through the miracle of a Baba. If their work does not get completed, people will think it is not time yet. Baba will get the work done when the time is right.” Listening to Damru, everybody was shocked.
It was the truth. Work or no work, everyone was running to the Baba, but why? Truly, what good can a Baba do, except being a crook.
“We should stop this foolishness,” said Meeku immediately.
“Damru is right. Thank you for making us see the truth about Babas, Damru. From today onwards, nobody will go to the Baba, and follow them blindly,” said Cheeku, loudly.
All the animals agreed and then returned to their homes.
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