Moosa and the shepherd

With so many Indians currently on Haj, a tale comes to mind from Maulana Jalaludin Rumi8217;s Mathnavi, which is hailed as the Persian Kora...

With so many Indians currently on Haj, a tale comes to mind from Maulana Jalaludin Rumi8217;s Mathnavi, which is hailed as the Persian Koran. It8217;s a tale that many of us would find dear and familiar already, for it could be from anywhere in the Bhakti annals of Bharat.

Anyhow, here was this unworldly shepherd whose heart overflowed with love for the Creator. All day long, as he tended his flocks, he would talk aloud to God: 8220;Where are You, my Beloved? How I long to serve You!8221;

One day, Hazrat Moosa the prophet Moses passed by the meadow where our shepherd8217;s flocks were grazing and heard him call aloud: 8220;Where are You, God, that I might stitch Your clothes, mend Your socks, polish Your shoes, comb Your hair and bring You a cup of good, nourishing milk?8221;

Moosa was horrified at what he considered gross blasphemy of the Formless Almighty. 8220;How dare you speak to God like that?8221; he raged. 8220;Stuff cotton in your worthless mouth if this is how you blaspheme. At least others will be spared the sin of listening to your polluting words. Is God a mere human, that He needs to drink milk and have his hair combed and his shoes polished? You insult the Almighty by such talk, you enemy of religion. Let us pray that the Creator will not punish the whole human race because of you!8221;

The poor shepherd was shattered. What had he said that was so wrong? Sobbing heartbrokenly, he apologised to the great prophet and led his flock away feeling wretched and bereft.

Proud that he had caught and taught an erring person, Hazrat Moosa marched away grandly, when the Lord8217;s annoyed voice arrested him. 8220;Why did you interfere with Me and Mine, Moosa?8221; asked the Almighty. 8220;Who authorised you to separate the lover from the Beloved? Did I make you my prophet to bring humanity to Me or to drive it away?8221; Stunned, Moosa fell to his knees.

8220;I did not create this world for my profit, Moosa,8221; said the Lord sternly. 8220;My Creation is for the benefit of my creatures. I have no need of praise and worship: it is the worshipper who benefits, not Me. Nor do I care for what form the worship takes. It is the sincerity of the heart that alone interests Me. Those bound by outward correctness are unlike those bound by their love for Me. Those who love Me know no religion but their Beloved.8221;

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Humbled and repentant, Moosa went back to look for the shepherd. After much searching, he finally found him in tatters meditating by a spring. Moosa eagerly related what had passed, but the shepherd had no more to say. With a compassionate smile, he simply moved away.