Once upon a time, in the celestial realms, the wise sage Narada approached Lord Vishnu with a question. Being a devoted follower of Vishnu, Narada believed that there was no one more devoted to the Lord than himself.
“Lord Vishnu,” Narada said, bowing respectfully, “I travel across the three worlds, singing your praises. Is there anyone more devoted to you than I?”
Lord Vishnu smiled gently. “Narada, you are indeed a great devotee, but devotion is not always measured by words or songs. Let me show you something.”
Narada, curious about what the Lord meant, agreed to follow. Vishnu transported him to a small, peaceful village on Earth. There, they observed a humble farmer going about his daily tasks. The farmer rose at dawn, offered a simple prayer to Vishnu, then worked in the fields all day under the hot sun. In the evening, after completing his chores, he offered another brief prayer before retiring for the night.
“Is this the man you wish to show me?” Narada asked, a little confused. “He prays to you only twice a day, while I sing your praises constantly!”
Lord Vishnu, still smiling, handed Narada a small clay pot filled to the brim with water. “Narada, I have a task for you. Take this pot and walk around the entire village without spilling a single drop of water. Then, we shall talk.”
Narada took the pot carefully and began his walk. The pot was so full that he had to focus intently on each step. He moved slowly, ensuring the water didn’t spill, and circled the village, completely focused on the task. Finally, he returned to Lord Vishnu, proud that he had completed the task without spilling a drop.
“I have done it, Lord!” Narada said with a smile.
Vishnu looked at him kindly. “Indeed you have. But tell me, Narada, while you were walking with the pot, did you think of me even once?”
Narada paused, realizing he had been so focused on not spilling the water that he hadn’t thought of Vishnu at all.
Lord Vishnu continued, “This farmer you see, though he prays only twice a day, thinks of me with every action he performs. Even as he works, his heart is filled with devotion. You sing my praises constantly, but in your pride, you forgot that true devotion lies not just in words, but in how constantly you carry me in your heart—no matter what task you are performing.”
Narada bowed his head in humility, understanding the deeper lesson of devotion. It was not how often one sang the Lord’s praises, but how sincerely and consistently one kept God in their thoughts, even amidst life’s mundane tasks.
From that day onward, Narada’s devotion grew deeper, not just in his songs, but in every action, he performed.