The Story of the Little Boy and the Broken Vase
Sathya Sai Baba often declared:
“God is the truth, the only truth. In every article or thing, God
is, as the basis, as understanding and understandability, as the source of
Divine light, as Atma. Know that All exists, has awareness and bliss because of
the Atma which All is.”
But what does it truly mean to live in Truth? Is it merely the act
of not telling lies, or is there a deeper, more luminous meaning?
A Happy Home
Once upon a time, in a small, sunny
town, there lived a little boy named Arjun. Arjun was a cheerful child with big
brown eyes and a smile that could light up any room. He lived with his parents
in a cozy house filled with laughter, love, and the sweet smell of flowers from
the garden.
Arjun loved to play. He would run
through the halls, pretending to be a brave explorer, a fast runner, or a
superhero. His mother would laugh and say, “Arjun, you have so much energy!
Just be careful, my dear.”
In the living room, on a small table,
stood a beautiful vase. It was blue and white, painted with delicate flowers.
Arjun’s mother loved the vase very much. It was a gift from her grandmother,
and she always kept fresh flowers in it. She told Arjun, “This vase is special.
Please don’t play near it.”
Arjun promised, “Yes, Amma, I will be
careful.”
The Accident
One afternoon, Arjun was playing with
his favorite red ball. He tossed it up, caught it, and giggled. The sun was
shining through the window, making everything look golden and magical. Arjun
felt happy and free.
But suddenly, his ball bounced away
from his hands and rolled under the table. Arjun crawled after it, not thinking
about the vase. As he reached for the ball, his elbow bumped the table. The
vase wobbled, teetered, and—crash!—fell to the floor. Pieces of blue and white
scattered everywhere.
Arjun froze. His heart pounded. He
stared at the broken vase, his eyes filling with tears. “Oh no,” he whispered.
“What have I done?”
The Battle in Arjun’s Mind
Arjun’s mind was full of thoughts.
Some were scared, some were sad, and some were not so good. He thought, “Should
I tell Amma what happened? Or should I say I don’t know? Maybe I can blame the
cat. Maybe Amma won’t notice.”
But then, Arjun remembered something
his mother always said: “God lives in your heart and knows every thought you
think. Be honest, even when it’s hard.”
Arjun sat down on the floor. He closed
his eyes and tried to calm his racing heart. He remembered the stories he heard
at the Sai Baba center, where everyone learned about truth, love, and kindness.
He remembered Sathya Sai Baba’s gentle
voice:
“Truth in thought is the first step to
truth in words and actions. If your thoughts are pure, your life will be
peaceful.”
Arjun thought, “If I tell a lie, my
mind will feel heavy. But if I tell the truth, maybe Amma will be sad, but my
heart will feel light.”
The Choice
Arjun took a deep breath. He wiped his
tears and stood up. He looked at the broken vase, then at the door. He could
hear his mother in the kitchen, humming a song.
He walked slowly to the kitchen, his
feet feeling heavy. His mother turned and saw his sad face. “Arjun, what
happened?” she asked gently.
Arjun’s lips trembled. He wanted to
hide, but he remembered Baba’s words. He looked into his mother’s eyes and
said, “Amma, I’m sorry. I broke your vase. I was playing with my ball, and it
fell. I didn’t mean to, but it was my fault.”
His mother was quiet for a moment. She
looked at Arjun, then at his small hands, and then at his honest, tearful eyes.
The Power of Truth
Amma knelt down and hugged Arjun.
“Thank you for telling me the truth, my dear. I know it was an accident. I am
sad about the vase, but I am proud of you for being honest.”
Arjun felt a warm glow in his heart.
The heavy feeling in his mind disappeared. He hugged his mother tightly and
whispered, “I was scared to tell you. But I remembered what Baba said about
truth. I wanted my heart to feel clean.”
Amma smiled. “That’s the most
important thing, Arjun. Things can break, but a pure heart is precious. Truth
is always the best choice.”
Cleaning Up Together
Together, they went to the living
room. Arjun helped his mother pick up the pieces of the vase. They swept the
floor and threw away the broken bits. Amma said, “Sometimes, accidents happen.
But when we are honest, we can fix anything together.”
Arjun felt proud. He knew he had made
a mistake, but he also knew he had done the right thing by telling the truth.
A Lesson from Baba
That evening, Arjun and his mother sat
in their prayer room. They lit a small lamp and prayed together. Amma told
Arjun a story about Sathya Sai Baba and how he always taught people to be
truthful in their thoughts.
Amma said, “Baba tells us that our
mind is like a garden. If we plant seeds of truth, our heart will bloom with
happiness. But if we plant seeds of lies, our heart will feel heavy and sad.”
Arjun listened carefully. He imagined
his mind as a garden, and he wanted it to be full of bright, beautiful flowers.
The Next Day
The next day at school, Arjun’s
teacher asked, “Who forgot to bring their homework?” Some children looked down,
afraid to speak. Arjun remembered how good it felt to tell the truth. He raised
his hand and said, “I forgot, ma’am. I am sorry.”
The teacher smiled. “Thank you, Arjun,
for being honest. That is very brave.”
Arjun felt happy. He knew that telling the truth, even when it
was hard, made his heart feel light and strong.
Arjun’s Secret
From that day on, Arjun made a promise
to himself. “I will always try to be truthful in my thoughts. If I think of
lying, I will remember Baba’s words and choose honesty.”
Whenever he felt scared or tempted to
hide the truth, he would close his eyes and say a little prayer:
“Baba, please help me keep my thoughts
pure and my heart clean.”
And every time he did, he felt a
gentle warmth inside, like a hug from God.
The Vase of the Heart
One evening, Arjun’s mother brought
home a new vase. It was not as fancy as the old one, but it was bright and
cheerful. She put fresh flowers in it and placed it on the table.
She said, “Arjun, this vase is like
our hearts. It may not be perfect, but if we fill it with truth and love, it
will always be beautiful.”
Arjun smiled. He knew now that the
most precious thing was not the vase, but the honesty and love in their home.
Sharing the Lesson
Whenever Arjun’s friends argued or
tried to hide their mistakes, Arjun would gently remind them, “It’s okay to
make mistakes. But it’s always best to tell the truth. It makes your heart feel
happy.”
His friends listened, and soon, they
too started being more honest, not just with others, but with themselves.
The Inner Sanctuary
Years later, Arjun grew up to be a
kind and honest young man. People trusted him because they knew he always spoke
the truth. But more than that, Arjun’s mind was peaceful. He had learned that
truth in thought was the key to a happy life.
Whenever he visited the Sai Baba
center, he would share his story with the children:
“Once, I broke my mother’s vase. I was
scared, but I told the truth. And that made my heart feel light. Always choose
truth, even in your thoughts. That is the real treasure.”
Living
Sathya: The Challenge and the Grace
Living in Truth is not
always easy. Swami acknowledged that the world often tempts us to compromise,
to speak what is convenient rather than what is right. Yet, he urged us never
to give up Truth under any circumstances—even if it means facing hardships and
loses.
Swami also emphasized the manner in
which Truth is spoken. He taught:
·
Satyam Bruyaat—Speak the Truth.
·
Priyam Bruyaat—Speak it in a loving, pleasing way.
·
Na Bruyaat Satyam
Apriyam—But never speak truth in a hurtful or unkind way.
Truth is not just a word—it is the light that
illumines our path to God. When we live in Truth, we become instruments of
peace and love in the world.
A Daily Practice: Truth as a Living
Prayer
A Heartfelt Prayer
Swami’s guidance is simple, yet transformative:
·
Start the day with love.
·
Fill the day with love.
·
End the day with love.
·
Let Truth flow from a heart filled with love.
When our thoughts, words, and actions are in harmony,
we are living embodiments of Sathya. In doing so, we honor the divinity within
ourselves and in all beings.
May we, inspired by Bhagawan’s example and these
timeless stories, strive each day to speak and live the Truth. May our hearts
be so full of love that our words and deeds become a reflection of the divine.
And may Truth, like a gentle lamp, guide us always—back to the source, back to
the Self, back to God.
Sathya is not
just a value. It is the very breath of life, the song of the soul, and the path
to peace. Let us walk it, together.
Om Sai Ram.🙏🙏🙏
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