A BOY ACTUALLY FED GOD

A BRAHMANA used to worship his family Deity
with food offerings. One day he had to go away on
business. As he was about to leave the house, he
said to his son: "Give the offering to the Deity
today. See that God is fed." The boy offered food
in the shrine, but the image remained silent on the
altar. It would neither eat nor talk. The boy waited
a long time, but still the image did not move. But
the boy firmly believed that God would come
down from His throne, sit on the floor, and
partake of his food. Again and again he prayed to
the Deity, saying: "O Lord, come down and eat the
food. It is already very late. I cannot sit here any
longer." But the image did not utter a word. The
boy burst into tears and cried: "O Lord, my father
asked me to feed you. Why won't you come down?
Why won't you eat from my hands?" The boy
wept for some time with a longing soul. At last the
Deity, smiling, came down from the altar and sat
before the meal and ate it. After feeding the Deity,
the boy came out of the shrine room. His relatives
said: "The worship is over. Now bring away the
offering." "Yes," said the boy, "the worship is over.

But God has eaten everything." "How is that?",
asked the relatives. The boy replied innocently,
"Why, God has eaten the food."
They entered the shrine and were speechless with
wonder to see that the Deity had really eaten every
bit of the offering.