Once upon a time a King by name Sundaravadanan who ruled over the kingdom of Kannapuri. He was great in all respects except that he never believed in God.

One night, he was traveling through his city in disguise. He heard two beggars begging loudly. One was invoking Lord Rama’s grace and the other was invoking the King’s grace.

The King was intrigued and had both the beggars brought to the court. His minister asked the question, “Yesterday, you both were begging. One of you said “Rama’s grace and other said Kings grace. Now what does that mean?”

One who said Rama’s grace replied, “Sir, this whole world is protected by the Lord Rama. He is the one who gives wealth and riches to everyone”.

The minister now spoke to the other beggar. He replied, “Sir, God is invisible. King is the visible God. If he so desires, he can make anyone rich”

That night, the King argued with the minister that one who called on the King was the clever beggar. The minister however disagreed. He said, “However a man may try to help, if the receiver does not have God’s grace it will never reach him.”

The King decided to put “King’s grace” and “Rama’s grace” to test.

The next day a King’s order was announced. “On the Rama Navami day the King will distribute presents to everyone. All can come and receive the presents.”

Accordingly people gathered. The two beggars were also present. The King gave out a new piece of cloth and a pumpkin to everyone. When the “King’ grace” beggar’s turn came up, the King recognized him and whispered something in the minister’s ears. The minister went in and brought a pumpkin. The pumpkin and the cloth were given to the beggar.

After sometime, the King and his minister went around the city in disguise. They noticed that the “Kings’ grace” beggar still begging the same way.

The King summoned the beggar to the court the next day and asked him, “ Are you still a beggar despite my presents?” The beggar replied, “King! I sold the pumpkin in the market for 2 silver coins. How can I become rich with that?

The king replied, “You are a fool. That pumpkin had precious jewels and pearls. If you had only cut open the pumpkin you would have become rich.”

After sometime when the King was on his rounds he noticed a rich man in a palanquin. The minister recognized him as “Rama’s grace” beggar.

This man was also summoned to court.

The King asked, “Aren’t you the beggar who used to beg in the streets? How did you become so rich?”

This man replied, “ King! By the grace of Rama. I was to feed the brahmins on a particular day to bring peace to my dead father. All I could purchase was a pumpkin. But, to my surprise, I found jewels when I cut open the pumpkin. By the grace of Rama I became rich”

The King understood that one truly required God’s grace to prosper in this world.

Shabari was born to a Kshatriya father and hunter mother. Since she belonged to the Shabara tribe she was named Shabari. When her marriage was fixed, her parents collected thousands of animals for the feast. But Shabari did not like the killing of innocent animals. So, she decided to remain unmarried and spend her life thinking of the Lord. She left her parents and went away.

Sage Matanga gave shelter to her in the Ashram. The sage took great care of her than even her parents did. He taught her the basics of spiritual life. He gave her advice and helped her develop a spiritual outlook that would sustain her for the rest of her life.

The local brahmins did not approve of Matanga giving spiritual guidance to a low caste woman. All the brahmins boycotted Sage Matanga.

One day, Shabari was going to the river for a bath. A brahmin was coming in the opposite direction after bath when by chance, her wearing cloth touched him. The brahmin became furious. He rebuked her severely.

The brahmin went again to the river to take bath. As soon as he got down the waters the water turned red in colour and worms began to crawl in it. This was due to the insults he had earlier hurled at Shabari.

After many years Sri Rama during his exile came to the forest known as Dandakaaranya and visited Shabari’s hut first. He partook with the greatest relish the fruits offered by her in ecstatic devotion. All the sages of the forest came to meet Sri Rama. They asked: “Rama! There is a river nearby. Once pure water use to flow in it. But now the water is reddish and unusable. Can you please enlighten us as to why this happened?”

Sri Lakshmana explained, “The brahmins here boycotted Matanga Rishi and insulted Shabari. Consequently the water turned impure”.

They asked further, “Is there any way to purify this water?” Lakshmana replied, “ Of course. If the innocent and pure- hearted Shabari bathes in this river, it will regain its original purity”

Accordingly as soon as Shabari touched the waters it became crystal clear. The brahmins realised their fault and begged forgiveness of Shabari. They understood that the Lord looks at the internal purity and does not discriminate on the basis of races.

About thousand years ago, Raja Raja Chola was ruling Tamil Nadu. He planned to build a grand temple for Lord Shiva at Thanjavur which was his capital. Thousands of labourers were engaged for this task.

In the same city there was an old woman called Azhagi. She felt that when the whole city was engaged in the temple construction she was poor and old and so unable to do anything.

As she was musing thus her grandson came running to her and asked her for some buttermilk to quench his thirst.

This gave her an idea and she decided that she could distribute buttermilk to the labourers working in the hot sun. That could be her service to the Lord.

Accordingly she started distributing buttermilk to the thirsty people.

This went on for a while.

After sometime the work was coming to an end. Only one stone was needed to keep on the top of the tower. She had a small desire. She asked the chief architect, “ I have a small desire. Just in front of my house there lies a big stone belonging to me. Can you use that for the tower?” The chief inspected the stone and agreed. The stone was brought and the temple construction was completed.

That night the king had a dream. Lord Shiva appeared to him and said, “I am very happy to be resting under the stone of Azhagi” he said.

The king wondered, “Who is this Azhagi? I have built such a big temple for the Lord and the Lord says that he is happy to be resting under Azhagi’s stone?”

He made enquiries and he himself went to meet the lady. He told her, “You are blessed mother. The Lord came in my dream and said that he was happy to be resting under your stone. What did you do?” he asked.

The lady said, “ King! I did nothing. I only served buttermilk to the laborers who were working there. I also asked them to use a stone that was lying near my hut to complete the tower.”

The king was dumbfounded at her devotion.

Srinjaya was greedy king. He had only a daughter but no son. He felt about it badly. He enquired of the brahmins,” Oh Brahmins! I want a son. Tell me the way.” At that time the sage Narada happened to visit him. The Brahmins told the king, if he worships the sage Narada his wish will be fulfilled.

The King received Narada with great honour. He worshipped him and prayed for a son. The sage asked the King,” oh King! What sort of a son do you desire?”. The King replied,” i want a son who will be beautiful, healthy and intelligent. Besides pearls should fall from his eyes and mouth whenever he cries or speaks.” The Sage Narada blessed him saying that such a son will be born to him soon.

In due course, by the blessings of the sage Narada, a son was born to the King. Moreover according to the wishes of the King, pearls fell from his mouth and eyes whenever he cried. Soon the palace was filled with pearls. Even the doors, and the walls of the palace were inlaid with pearls, the story of this miracle-child spread like wild fire.

A gang of robbers in the forest came to know of this and decided to kidnap the child. They entered the palace at night and stealthily carried away the child. Later the attendants of the child came to know of the absence of the child which passed on to the King who ordered a massive search for the child.

The kings’ command reached the robbers who collectively decided future course of action. By that time the robbers who had collected enough pearls thought that it will be wise of them to release the child since they have collected enough pearls. But one of them thought that if they cut the child to pieces they will get pearls from every drop of his blood. Accordingly they cut the child to pieces but no pearls came from dropping of his blood. They then realized that their greed has ruined them.

By then, the soldiers surrounded them they bound them and brought them to the king. The king came to know about the tragic end of the child. The king at last realized," My greed has ruined me”.

It seems to be a good logical answer.

A man went to a barbershop to have his hair cut and his beard trimmed.

As the barber began to work, they began to have a good conversation. They talked about so many things and various subjects. When they eventually touched on the subject of God, the barber said: "I don't believe that God exists."

"Why do you say that?" asked the customer.

"Well, you just have to go out in the street to realize that God doesn't exist. Tell me, if God exists, would there be so many sick people? Would there be abandoned children? If God existed, there would be neither suffering nor pain. I can't imagine a loving a God who would allow all of these things."

The customer thought for a moment, but didn't respond because he didn't want to start an argument. The barber finished his job and the customer left the shop. Just after he left the barbershop, he saw a man in the street with long, stringy, dirty hair and an untrimmed beard. He looked dirty and unkempt.

The customer turned back and entered the barbershop again and he said to the barber: "You know what? Barbers do not exist."

"How can you say that?" asked the surprised barber. "I am here, and I am a barber. And I just worked on you!"

"No!" the customer exclaimed. "Barbers don't exist because if they did, there would be no people with dirty long hair and untrimmed beards, like that man outside."

"Ah, but barbers DO exist! " answered the barber. " What happens, is, people do not come to me. "

"Exactly!"-affirmed the customer. "That's the point! God, too, DOES exist! What happens, is, people don't go to Him and do not look for Him. That's why there's so much pain and suffering in the world."