SUCH INDEED IS MAYA!

ONCE Narada besought the Lord of the universe,
"Lord, show me that Maya of Thine which can
make the impossible possible." The Lord nodded
assent. Subsequently the Lord one day set out on a
travel with Narada. After going some distance, He
felt very thirsty and fatigued. So He sat down and
told Narada, "Narada, I feel much thirsty; please
get me a little water from somewhere." Narada at
once ran in search of water.
Finding no water nearby, he went far from the
place and saw a river at a great distance. When he
approached the river, he saw a most charming
young lady sitting there, and was at once captivated
by her beauty. As soon as Narada went near her,
she began to address him in sweet words, and ere
long, both fell in love with each other. Narada then
married her, and settled down as a householder. In
course of time he had a number of children by her.
And while he was thus living happily with his wife
and children, there came a pestilence in the
country. Death began to collect its toll from every
place. Then Narada proposed to abandon the place
and go somewhere else. His wife acceded to it, and
they both came out of their house leading their
children by the hand. But no sooner did they come
to the bridge to cross the river than there came a
terrible flood, and in the rush of water, all their
children were swept away one after another, and at
last the wife too was drowned. Overwhelmed with
grief at his bereavement, Narada sat down on the
bank and began to weep piteously. Just then the
Lord appeared before him, saying, "O Narada,
where is the water? And why are you weeping?"
The sight of the Lord startled the sage, and then he
understood everything. He exclaimed, "Lord, my
obeisance to Thee, and my obeisance also to Thy
wonderful Maya!"