Page 58 - Kailaspati: Paramhans Hansdevji Avadhoot

What is going to happen to a man is but predestined.” To make this viewpoint clear, our Baba told us the following story:
There lived in a certain village a poor Brahmin couple. Pious though, they were unhappy. The sole cause of their unhappiness was that they were without issue. in order to be blessed with a son, the Brahmin decided to pray to Brahman. With that object in view, the Brahmin left for the forest and got absorbed in meditation. after a certain period of time, the Padmajyoni (i.e. Brahma) felt appeased and appeared before the Brahmin and said, “happy as i am with you, you may pray for a boon.”
“i want a son,” said the Brahmin by way of prayer. in reply Prajapati (i.e. Brahma) said, “i can’t grant you the boon in the form of a son, you may pray for some other boon.” The Brahmin reiterated, “i need no other boon but a son.”
Chaturmukh (i.e. Brahma) disappeared. The Brahmin instead got devoted to meditating on Vishnu. Being kind enough to the Brahmin, Vishnu appeared before him and asked him to pray for a boon. The Brahmin again prayed for a son. “i can’t grant you the boon prayed for, you may ask for some other boon.” The worshipper said that he needed no other boon, so Vishnu left.
The Brahmin then meditated on Mahesha. Benevolent shiva (i.e. Mahesha) in course of time appeared before him and said, “You’re predestined not to beget a son, so how can i grant you a son?” The worshipper stuck to his point with all piety and prayer. Ashutosh (i.e. shiva), on being happy with the persistent prayer, said to the Brahmin, “all that i can do is to grant you the boon of a handicapped son, one who would have neither legs nor hands.”
Glad at heart, the Brahmin said, “Favour me with that boon, my God.”
Mahadev left after having granted the prayer of the Brahmin. and the Brahmin then returned home. in course of time, he begot a handicapped son. Both the parents were glad enough to bring up that boy. But the more the baby-son grew up, the less became their joy and happiness. The boy, being born dependent, could do nothing without the help of his parents. Much of the time of the parents got spent in nursing the boy. What was once an object of
36 Kailashpati