One of the greatest philosophers in India was Ramakrishna Paramhansa, born Gadadhar Chattopadhyaya, an Indian Hindu mystic and spiritual leader. He was the spiritual guru of world-renowned monk, Swami Vivekananda. Swami Vivekananda is popularly known as Swamiji. He was the first person who introduced Hinduism as a religion to the world. Later he founded many missions and named them after his guru. Though he was not a believer at his young age, his life changed completely when he met his guru, Ramakrishna.
Ramakrishna Paramhansa lived in Dakshineswar in West Bengal. He used to teach his disciples about spirituality through his short allegories. Every week he narrated the allegories in a small room of Dakshineswar. One such morning, Ramakrishna was ready to narrate one more interesting allegory to his disciples. He reached the room where he would tell them the allegories as usual. He was amazed to see the room fully empty. He wanted to know the matter from his nephew, Hridey. His nephew informed him that no one would come today as it had been raining with thunders since morning. He also suggested Ramakrishna to rest in his own room. But he wanted to tell the allegory as it had a powerful message about God. So, he approached the idol of Goddess maa Kali and begged her so that his disciples could come to listen to his today's special allegory.
Within minutes, the rain ceased and it became a bright day. His storytelling was so magnificent that people started to assemble in the room. Ramkrishna was informed who was meditative in front of the idol of Goddess maa Kali. After hearing this, he rushed to the room. Seeing him coming, one of his disciples prostrated at his feet and said, "Today I thought that I will not be able to listen to your story because it was raining heavily. Somehow, I kept on believing in God. And it stopped unexpectedly".
In response, Ramakrishna assured him that this is called the benefit of believing in God. Hearing this phrase, the other disciples wanted to know the inner meaning of what is the benefit of believing in God. Ramakrishna was ready for the question as today's allegory was based on this topic. So, he began to narrate a short allegory.
Once upon a time, there used to be a small pond. In the pond among other fishes, there lived two big catfish. One was very pious who used to spend time singing the glories of God and praying to him. Another one was impious who would laugh at the pious catfish. Pious catfish often implored impious ones to pray for God and sing his glories to receive blessings from the Almighty. But the impious catfish would ignore his request saying that he wanted to enjoy his life. Yet the pious catfish strived to make him understand.
One day, the impious catfish reluctantly agreed to the pious catfish's continual request and said he would pray to God from the next day morning.
A few days later, some fishermen arrived near the pond for fishing. Both catfish got trapped in their nets. In this situation, impious catfish yelled at pious catfish saying that many times fishermen had come for the fishing but he never got caught but today both of them got caught up. What the blessing he received from the Almighty. Today he is about to die because of believing in God. The pious catfish was extremely silent. He requested him to trust God in this tough time. "God is always great. Death is unavoidable, today or tomorrow we must die."
All the fishermen collected their respective fishes and returned home. The fisherman, who got both catfish, handed over them to his wife. He instructed his wife to cut both fish into pieces for cooking and went to the market to buy other cooking ingredients. Fisherman's wife did the same as she was instructed. She brought some ashes and rubbed it on the impious catfish in an attempt to cut him into pieces.
Seeing his inevitable death, impious catfish blamed pious catfish for all of this. He said what the benefit did he get for singing the glories of God? Pious catfish advised him not to blame, instead, to pray for the last time. Impious catfish prayed to God for his life. When the fisherman's wife was about to cut the fish, she heard her husband's voice. Out of curiosity, she peeped through the ajar door. The fisherman was rushing home. He was raising his one hand in the air and making some gestures to his wife. She stopped cutting the fish to find out what happened to his husband.
The fisherman entered the room and enquired whether she had cut the fish or not. He relaxed when he knew that both fish were still alive.
He explained to his wife that he heard an announcement in the market. Their king was going to inaugurate a new pond. There is a ritual to worship two catfish and put them into a pond for the first time to inaugurate it. Therefore, he needed two big catfish to put them into the pond. The king would offer rewards to them who bring the fish. The fisherman told her to clean both fish so that he could take them to the king. He brought both the catfish to the king and got the reward. The king inaugurated his new pond with both fish and prohibited for fishing them.
In the new pond, pious catfish told impious catfish that our story is a great example to learn the benefit of believing in God. Impious fish was mum. He had understood the glory of God. For the rest of his life, he also spent time singing the glory of the Lord and praying all the time.
Disciples sitting eagerly for the conclusion of the allegory hailed for Ramkrishna in chorus. They became very optimistic to hear the story. Even Ramakrishna was satisfied to successfully convey to his disciples another allegory with the message of the existence of God. In the end, he commenced meditating as usual.
