True devotion

[Sundara Rajan]

Once upon a time, a king who was a devoted follower of Shiva wished to submerge a large Shivlinga in milk. He ordered all the villagers to bring milk to the temple on a Monday, threatening fines for those who did not comply. The villagers, fearing  king’s command, brought all the milk  consumed at home  -not allowing any one to consume , even the calf was denied. . Despite their efforts, the Shivlinga remained unsubmerged no matter how much milk was offered. 

One day, a humble old woman arrived with just a single glass of milk. With deep devotion, she poured it onto the Shivlinga, and to everyone’s astonishment, it was completely submerged. This happened again the following week, prompting the king to investigate the miracle. 

On the third Monday, as the villagers poured milk to no avail, the woman came with her glass of milk. Once more, the Shivlinga disappeared beneath the milk. Curious, the king stopped her to ask how her single glass could accomplish what the entire village could not. 

The old woman explained that she only brought milk after ensuring her own family and calves were satisfied first. Her offerings stemmed from genuine devotion, not fear of punishment. The king realized that true worship comes from the heart and that the value of offerings lies in the intent behind them. Thus, he learned that sincere devotion is what truly pleases the Divine.