Milk & the Butter Story

In relation to God we have generally many queries like, Who is God? Where is God? Why don’t we see Him? What does God do all the time? etc. etc. In this blog, earlier I have written many articles which describe about, Who is God? or about the Omnipresence of God & that God is sitting in everyone's heart. But here below is a beautiful story from Hinduism which answers these questions beautifully. Here is the story:

Once upon a time, in ancient India there lived a poise Brahmin who was considered by all to be the best authority on Hindu Philosophy. One day the local king asked him to appear before him. When Brahmin did so, the king said:

“I have three questions that puzzle me, rather torment my mind always: Where is God? Why don’t I see Him? And what does God do all the day? If you can’t answer these three questions then I will have your head cut off.”

The Brahmin was appalled and terrified, because the answers to these questions were not just complex but they were impossible to formulate. In other words: he did not knew the answers. So his execution date was set.

On the morning of that day the Brahmin’s teenage son appeared before the king and asked him if he would release his father if he-the son-would answer his questions. The king agreed, and the son asked that a container of milk be brought to him. It was done. Then the boy asked that the milk be churned into butter. That, too, was done.

“The first two of your questions are now answered,” he told the king.

The king objected that he had been given no answers, so the son asked: “Where was the butter before it was churned?”

“In the milk,” replied the king.

“In what part of the milk?” asked the boy.

“In all of it.”

“Just so, agreed the boy, “and in the same way God is within all things and pervades all things.”

“Why don’t I see Him, then,” pressed the king.

“Because you do not ‘churn’ your mind and refine your perceptions through meditation. If you do that, you will see God. But not otherwise. Now let my father go.”

“Not at all,” insisted the king. “You have not told me what God does all the day.”

“To answer that,” said the boy, “we will have to change places. You come stand here and let me sit on the throne.”

The request was so audacious the king complied, and in a moment he was standing before the enthroned Brahmin boy who told him: “This is the answer. One moment you were the king and I was a common man. Now things are reversed, I am the king & you are a common man. God perpetually lifts up and casts down every one of us. In one life we are exalted and in another we are brought low. Oftentimes in a single life this occurs, and even more than once. Our lives are completely in God's hand, and He does with us as He wills.”

The Brahmin was released and his son was given many honors and gifts by the king.

Now here below are many verses of Bhagwat Gita which explain about the Omnipresence of God:

"sarvatah pani-padam tat
sarvato ’ksi-siro-mukham
sarvatah shrutimal loke
sarvam avrtya tishthati" (Bhagwat Gita: Chapter Thirteen verse 14)

"Sri Krishna told Arjuna about God: Everywhere are His hands and legs, His eyes, heads and faces, and He has ears everywhere. In this way the Super soul exists, pervading everything & everybody."

"mattah parataram nanyat
kincid asti dhananjaya
mayi sarvam idam protam
sutre mani-gana iva" (Bhagwat Gita: Chapter Seven verse 7)

"Sri Krishna said: There is nothing else besides Me, Like clusters of Yarn-Beads, Formed by knots on a thread, All this world is threaded on Me (universal soul)."

"athakasa-sthito nityam
vayuh sarvatra-go mahan
tatha sarvani bhutani
mat-sthanity upadharaya" (Bhagwat Gita: Chapter Nine verse 6)

"Sri Krishna said: O Arjuna, Just as the extensive and all-pervading Air always remains in Space, likewise know that all creation & beings reside in Me (God)."