KrishnaKatha - Story for meditation 14/06/2013 - AN APPOINTMENT WITH DEATH

AN APPOINTMENT WITH DEATH

There was a rich merchant in Baghdad. One day he wanted to entertain his friends. He had so many servants, so he called one servant and told him to go to the market. "Buy a few things so that we can entertain the friends in the evening."

The servant was very happy. He took some money from the master and went to the market. He was busy trying to buy a few things from the market. In the meantime, someone pushed him from the back. When that happened, the servant turned around and saw who it was. He was very afraid. It was death personified standing there. 

He said, "I don't want to die." And he ran back to his master. The master was surprised to see him running back from the market without anything. So he said, "What's the matter with you? Why are you so much afraid?" 

The servant said,

"Please master, excuse me. I went to the market and was trying to buy a few things. But as I was looking somebody pushed me, and when I turned around I was horrified to see death personified standing there in the market. Please save me, I don't want to die."

So the master could not understand these things. "All right. Go to the stables. In the stables we have fast horses. Take one fast horse, and ride to the neighboring town which is known as Samara. Within two hours you will reach Samara and you will be completely safe."

The servant was very happy. "That's a good idea. Master is very kind for a change." He went to the stable, took a horse and started for Samara. Within two hours he would reach Samara and he was very happy to go.

So when the servant left, the master thought, "What is this death personified?"

So he went to the market to see. He looked around, and saw death lurking in a corner. He called death over, and death came near the master. He asked, "Why are you loitering here?" Death said, "It's my job to loiter here. I pick up a few living entities, and one day I'll pick you up also."

"Forget about me," the master said, "but tell me, why did you push my servant?"

Death replied, "I did not push your servant, but I was surprised to see him in Baghdad, because I have an appointment with him in Samara in the afternoon."

PS: I humbly request all the devotees to please forward moral / instructive stories they hear so that everyone can be benefited.