HIS REFUGE

God is the embodiment of compassion. He watches for a grain of goodness or humility so that He can reward it with tons of Grace. In a certain temple for Shiva, the priest had a silver basin with a hole in its base for water to drip continuously.

He filled it with water and hung it over the Lingam (the idol of Shiva) so that the God who swallowed the poison which would have destroyed the Universe could be cooled and comforted! Even at night when the doors of the shrine were locked by the priest when he went home, the silver basin of water was in its position. A thief broke into the sacred apartment; his eyes were on the silver.

He could not reach the rope that kept the basin in position. So, he climbed on the Lingam itself in order to take the costly booty down.

Even as he was standing on the holy idol, Shiva manifested Himself in all His glory before him, saying, “Son ! I appreciate your surrender, you have cast on me your entire burden.”

The thief prayed that Shiva will help him to secure the silver; there was no ladder or bench or any other article on which he could climb. So, the Lingam was his only refuge.