Ghanshyam Charitra
Lesson 25

The Sparrows in Trance

Dharmadev has a field in Targav. Here is where is saved the paddy seeds. Dharmadev was planning to go to a neighboring village for a couple of days with his younger son Rampratap. In the field, the crops of paddy seeds were ready. The crops needed to be protected from birds. Mother considered, "Who will look after the crops? And if no one take this responsiblity, not only will the crops be destroyed but all the work put into their growing will have been in vain." Mother worried about this a lot and soon Ghanshyam came to console her. He said to his mother, "Mother, don't worry. What can I do for you? Tomorrow I will gfo to the field to guard the crops." Mother took her son's soft words of compassion and grace and was able to sigh a deep breath of inner peace.

The next morning, Mother served food to Ghanshyam and put a cap on his head. THen Ghanshyam took a stick wearing embroidered shoes. Mother then gave him earrings to wear. This divine child was set to go the field.

In no time, Ghanshyam reached the field and climbed a tree. He saw hundreds of sparrows spoiling the crops. Some of them were just sittting around chirping, as they tend to do. Others were wasting the crops by pecking at them fiercely. Ghanshyam thought to himself, "What can I do?" He knew if he threw a stone, a bird may get injured or die. That would be a great sin. Thinking and thinking, Ghanshyam soon had an idea. He extended his divine sight and looked at all the birds. The birds all became silent and still as did the weather. All the birds moved from where they were to another place. The beaks of some birds were open. While other birds were frozen in mid-flight as Ghanshyam had put all the birds in a trance.

All the birds were in a trance and therefore there was no need for t worry about guarding the crops. Ghanshyam went to Pragji were playing and Ghanshyam joined them. In the evening Ghanshyam freed the birds from their frozen state and went home. Mother was eagerly waiting for him. Seeing him playing with a stick as he approached his house, Mother sent him to guard the harvest of the paddy.

So Ghanshyam did the same thing as he did the day before, he put the birds in a trance. Then he went to play with his friends. The kids were jumping, running and laughing. Dharmadev and Rampratap came home from their trip and Bhaktimata served them hot food. She then told Rampratap to go to the field and check on the condition of the crops.

Rampratap and Dharmadev both went to the field to check on the crops. They searched for Ghanshyam, but he couldn't be found. It occurred to them that he might be playing with his friends. Dharmadev scolded Ghanshyam, "Why did you mother send you here?" Ghanshyam politley said, "There isn't much damage to the crops." Dharmadev took Ghanshyam with him as he wanted to inspect the crops. They witnessed how the birds were all in a trance. Dharmadev wondered and became speechless. He thought the birds an eerie look and they all suddenly began fluttering around like birds thnd to do. Rampratap and Dharmadev believed that this was nothing other than the work of God, so they returned home.

1. What was Bhaktimata worried about?
2. What did Ghanshyam were when he went to the field?
3. How did Ghanshyam save the crops from the birds?
4. With who did Ghanshyam go play with?
5. Whom did Bhaktimata tell to go check on the crops in the field?
6. What miracle did Rampratap and Dharmadev witness?