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Mousy approached the saint and said, “Sir, I’m in trouble! The cat keeps chasing me, and I don’t know what to do. Can you please help me?”

The kind saint asked, “What kind of help do you need, little friend?”

Mousy replied, “I wish I could become a cat myself so that the big cat won’t bother me anymore.”

The saint thought for a moment and then said, “Alright, your wish is granted. You shall become a cat.”

Mousy was happy for a while, but soon he was back, looking sad. The saint asked, “What’s wrong now?”

Mousy sighed, “Now a dog is chasing me! Being a cat isn’t as easy as I thought.”

The saint chuckled and asked, “So, what would you like to be now?”

Mousy thought for a moment and said, “Maybe if I were a tiger, then no one would dare to chase me!”

The saint smiled and turned Mousy into a tiger. However, to everyone’s surprise, the tiger started staring at the saint with hungry eyes.

“Why are you looking at me like that? Do you want to eat me?” asked the saint.

The tiger nodded eagerly.

The saint, realizing the mistake, said, “Oh dear! You’ve forgotten the lesson. You should appreciate who you are and not try to be something else. Now, go back to being a mouse, and remember to be content with who you are.”

And just like that, Mousy turned back into a mouse but with a valuable lesson in his heart. From that day on, Mousy embraced being a mouse and learned that it’s okay to be oneself. The saint’s magic became a reminder that everyone has a special role to play, and trying to be something you’re not might lead to unexpected troubles.

The moral of the story is: Be happy with who you are because everyone is special in their own way.

One day, the king’s thumb got cut and he shared the news painfully with Birbal. Birbal, maintaining his own devotion to God, responded confidently, “Whatever God does, He does it only for good.” The king angrily threatened Birbal to punish him if he did not change his stance. However, Birbal maintained his position and as a result the king became furious. The king got so annoyed that he threw Birbal into the prison.

The next morning the king went into a dense forest for hunting. While he was chasing a deer, he got separated from his retinue. Suddenly a group of tribals attacked the king and then forcibly carried him blind-folded to a temple for offering him as a human sacrifice. The chief of the tribals took a gigantic sword ready to behead the king. All of a sudden, he stopped and noticed the bruised thumb of the king. The chief announced that the king was not fit for the offering and therefore ordered his men to release him.

The king ran for his life and came straight to the prison where Birbal was kept incarcerated. King Akbar begged for forgiveness and released Birbal. The king narrated the whole story to Birbal concluding himself that whatever God does, He does it only for good. However, the king still had one doubt that he placed before Birbal. He said, “I understand that my bruised finger saved my life today. But, how could God be good in having you thrown inside the prison?” Birbal immediately responded, “If I was not put in the prison, I would have accompanied you on the hunting excursion. Seeing you unfit for sacrifice, they would have me instead for the human sacrifice. So, by God’s grace, I was put in the prison and my life got spared.” Akbar exulted at Birbal’s remark and they both repeated the conclusion in unison, “Whatever God does, He does only for good.”

Sanjaya (ahaṁ) acknowledges that he has thus (ity) heard (aśrauṣam) this (imam) wonderful (adbhutaṁ) dialogue (saṁvādam) between Krishna (vāsudevasya) and (ca) the great soul (mahātmanaḥ), Arjuna (pārthasya). Out of ecstasy, his hair is standing on end (roma-harṣaṇam). (BG 18.74)

Sanjaya does not consider himself qualified to become privy to this sacred conversation. He gives full credit to his spiritual preceptor, Vyasadeva. Sanjaya’s words of gratitude are very specific. Sanjaya expresses that by the grace of Vyāsa (vyāsa-prasādāc), he (ahaṁ) has heard (chrutavān) this (etad) supreme (param) secret (guhyam) of yoga (yogaṁ), spoken (kathayataḥ) directly (sākṣāt) by the Lord and Master of yoga (yogeśvarāt), Krishna (kṛṣṇāt) Himself (svayam). (BG 18.75)

What is the overall impact on Sanjaya? Repeatedly remembering (saṁsmṛtya saṁsmṛtya) this (imam) wonderful (adbhutam) and sacred (puṇyaṁ) dialogue (saṁvādam) between Krishna (keśava) and Arjuna (arjunayoḥ), he is experiencing thrill (hṛṣyāmi) again (muhur) and (ca) again (muhuḥ). (BG 18.76) And also (tac ca ), repeatedly remembering (saṁsmṛtya saṁsmṛtya) the extraordinarily wonderful (aty-adbhutaṁ) form (rūpam) of Lord Krishna (hareḥ), he (me) is greatly (mahān) wonder-struck (vismayo), and (ca) rejoices (hṛṣyāmi) [the vision] again and again (punaḥ punaḥ). (BG 18.77) Thus, there are two sources of impact for Sanjaya: Krishna’s transcendental form and His transcendental words.

Sanjaya concludes his realization as follows. In his opinion (matir mama), wherever there is (yatra) the Lord and Master of yoga (yogeśvaraḥ), Krishna (kṛṣṇo), and wherever there is (yatra) Arjuna (pārtho), the carrier of the bow (dhanur-dharaḥ), there is (tatra) certainly (dhruvā) fortune (śrīr), victory (vijayo), power (bhūtir), and morality (nītir). (BG 18.78)

So, the secret of receiving fortune, victory, power, and morality lies in not chasing after them but instead in inviting Krishna into our life. The process of inviting Krishna into our life is already stated in the most confidential section of the Gita – that is cultivating devotional service (or bhakti) for Krishna alone.

First, Krishna establishes Himself as the external maintainer. That splendor of the sun (yad āditya-gataṁ tejo), which lights up the whole world (jagad bhāsayate ’khilam), as well as that splendor in the moon (yac candramasi) and the fire (yac cāgnau), we should know (viddhi) that (tat) to be Krishna’s (māmakam) splendor (tejo). (BG 15.12) And (ca), entering into each planet (gām āviśya), Krishna (aham) sustains (dhārayāmy) all the living beings (bhūtāni) with His strength (ojasā). And (ca), becoming (bhūtvā) the moon (somo), Krishna nourishes (puṣṇāmi) all (sarvāḥ) the herbs and the plants (auṣadhīḥ) forming their life-giving juice (rasātmakaḥ). (BG 15.13)

Now, Krishna reveals Himself as the internal maintainer. Becoming the fire of digestion (vaiśvānaro bhūtvā) situating Himself (āśritaḥ) in the bodies (deham) of the living entities (prāṇināṁ), Krishna (ahaṁ) digests (pacāmy) the four kinds of foodstuff (annaṁ catur-vidham) while keeping the balance (samāyuktaḥ) of the outgoing and incoming air of life (prāṇāpāna). (BG 15.14) Krishna’s maintenance goes even beyond the body. Krishna (ahaṁ) is furthermore (ca) situated (sanniviṣṭo) in everyone’s (sarvasya) heart (hṛdi), and from Krishna (mattaḥ) comes memory (smṛtir), knowledge (jñānam), and forgetfulness (apohanaṁ ca). Krishna is not only the source but also the object of knowledge. By all the Vedas (vedaiś ca sarvair), Krishna alone (aham eva) is to be known (vedyo). Krishna (aham) created Vedānta (vedānta-kṛd), and (ca) He alone (eva) is the knower of the Vedas (veda-vid). (BG 15.15)

Krishna is not only the maintainer of everything and everyone but His position as a maintainer is very unique. He is not to be equated with any one, either with the fallible or the infallible class. Hence, He alone is to be referred to as the Supreme Personality of Godhead. These (imau) are the two (dvāv) classes of beings (puruṣau) in existence (loke) – the fallible (kṣaraś) and the infallible (cākṣara eva ca). All living beings (sarvāṇi bhūtāni) are fallible (kṣaraḥ). However, the one in the liberated state (kūṭa-stho) is said to be (ucyate) infallible (akṣara). (BG 15.16) But (tu), the Supreme transcendental person (uttamaḥ puruṣas) is different (anyaḥ) – referred to (udāhṛtaḥ) as (iti) the Supreme Soul (paramātmā). He the inexhaustible (avyaya) Lord (īśvaraḥ), who (yo), entering the three worlds (loka-trayam āviśya) maintains them (bibharty). (BG 15.17)

Because (yasmāt) Krishna (aham) is Supreme (uttamaḥ), beyond (atīto) the fallible (kṣaram) and (ca) even (api) the infallible (akṣarād), He (asmi) is, therefore (ato) celebrated (prathitaḥ) in the world (loke) and (ca) in the Vedas (vede) as the Supreme Person (puruṣottamaḥ). (BG 15.18)

Whoever (yo) knows (jānāti) Krishna (mām) thus (evam) as the Supreme Person (puruṣottamam), without any doubt (asammūḍho), knows everything (sa sarva-vid) and whole-heartedly (sarva-bhāvena) engages in devotional service (bhajati) of Krishna (māṁ). (BG 15.19) Thus (iti), this is (idam) the most confidential (guhya-tamaṁ) scriptural injunction (śāstram), as spoken by Krishna (uktaṁ mayā). Understanding this (etad buddhvā), one becomes (syāt) intelligent (buddhimān), and accomplished (kṛta-kṛtyaś). (BG 15.20)

Arjuna heard an exposition on how Krishna is the beginning (creation), the middle (process), and the end (conclusion) of everything while at the same time being personally present before him. Arjuna also heard that with a single fragment of Himself, Krishna pervades and sustains this entire universe. Arjuna now wants to experientially behold and understand this extraordinary feature of Krishna sitting in one place.

Arjuna expresses that he has heard from the lotus-petal eyed (kamala-patrākṣa) Krishna at length (śrutau vistaraśo mayā) about the appearance and disappearance of every living entity (bhavāpyayau hi bhūtānāṁ) and has realized Krishna’s inexhaustible glories (māhātmyam api cāvyayam). (BG 11.2) Addressing Krishna as the Supreme controller (parameśvara), Arjuna expresses his desire to see (draṣṭum icchāmi) that majestic (aiśvaraṁ) form (te rūpam) in which the Supreme Person (puruṣottama), Krishna has entered into this cosmic manifestation. (BG 11.3) He requests the Supreme mystic (yogeśvara), Krishna to show (darśaya) this inexhaustible universal form (ātmānam avyayam) only if Krishna considers Arjuna to be capable of (manyase yadi tac chakyaṁ) beholding such a form (mayā draṣṭum iti). (BG 11.4)