File manager

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 who is not envious (adveṣṭā), but friendly (maitraḥ) and also kind (karuṇa eva ca) toward all living entities (sarva-bhūtānāṁ), who does not think oneself a proprietor (nirmamo) and is free from false ego (nirahaṅkāraḥ), who is equal in both happiness and distress (sama-duḥkha-sukhaḥ), who is forgiving (kṣamī), ever-satisfied yogi (santuṣṭaḥ satataṁ yogī), self-controlled (yatātmā), determined (dṛḍha-niścayaḥ) and investing one’s mind and intelligence in Krishna (mayy arpita-mano-buddhir) – such a devotee of Krishna (yo mad-bhaktaḥ) is very dear to Krishna (sa me priyaḥ). (BG 12.13-14)

By whom no one is put into agitation (yasmān nodvijate loko) and who is not agitated by anyone (lokān nodvijate ca yaḥ), who is free (mukto yaḥ) from exultation (harṣa), intolerance (amarṣa), fear (bhaya) and anxiety (udvegair), is also very dear to Krishna (sa ca me priyaḥ). (BG 12.15).

A Krishna’s devotee (yo mad-bhaktaḥ), who is impartial (anapekṣaḥ), pure (śucir), expert (dakṣa), neutral (udāsīno), free from all pains (gata-vyathaḥ), and carrying a spirit of renunciation in all endeavors (sarvārambha-parityāgī), is very dear to Krishna (sa me priyaḥ). (BG 12.16)

A devotee (bhaktimān yaḥ) who neither rejoices nor hates (yo na hṛṣyati na dveṣṭi), who neither laments nor hankers (na śocati na kāṅkṣati), and who is a renouncer of both auspicious and inauspicious things (śubhāśubha-parityāgī) is very dear to Krishna (sa me priyaḥ). (BG 12.17) One who is equal to friends and enemies (samaḥ śatrau ca mitre ca), who is equipoised in honor and dishonor (tathā mānāpamānayoḥ), heat and cold (śītoṣṇa), happiness and distress (sukha-duḥkheṣu), free from contaminating association (saṅga-vivarjitaḥ), equal in fame and infamy (tulya-nindā-stutir), silent (maunī), satisfied with anything (santuṣṭo yena kenacit), who doesn’t care for any residence (aniketaḥ), and carries a steady intelligence (sthira-matir) – such a devoted person (bhaktimān naraḥ) is very dear to Krishna (me priyo). (BG 12.18-19)

But (ye), those devotees (ye  bhaktās) who wholeheartedly follow (paryupāsate) this (idaṁ) imperishable path of dharma (dharmāmṛtam ) exactly as stated (yathoktaṁ) and with faith (śraddadhānā), making Krishna the supreme goal (mat-paramā), are exceedingly dear to Krishna (te ’tīva me priyāḥ). (BG 12.20)

In summary, a devotee of Krishna, who sincerely follows Krishna’s instructions making Krishna the supreme goal, is equipoised and satisfied in all circumstances of life, and is non-envious toward all living entities is extremely dear to Krishna.