“What is Maya?” the disciple Narada asked.
“The world is Maya. He who accepts this, realizes me,” Vishnu said.
“Maya can’t be explained,” he continued, “To understand it it has to be experienced. Come with me.”
Vishnu and Narada started to walk until they reached a desert.
Narada was curious: “Where are we going?”
Vishnu didn’t reply but kept walking the dry, dusty road.
It was a hot, brooding day and Vishnu was thirsty.
“I will explain to you Maya, but first will you fetch me a glass of water?” he asked his devotee.
Immediately and determined Narada went off, excited to learn about Maya soon. After a short time he reached a settlement. Near the well drawing water there was a young beautiful girl. Taken by her sheer beauty, Narada completely forgot about Vishnu and his mission.
Before long Narada and the young beautiful girl fell in love with each other, married and were blessed with three children. After 12 years her father died, inheriting them his farm. Narada, at the peak of his success, felt happy and secure.
One day all hell broke loose and a disastrous storm with cyclonic winds and heavy rain hit the village. The nearby river overflowed, broke its banks and washed away all houses in the village including Narada’s. In a boat on the swirling waters Narada tried in vain to keep his family afloat. But the water masses capsized the boat. Helpless, Narada had to see his wife and his children drowning. A huge wave threw him against a rock and with the last of his strength he tried to hold himself up with the water rising higher and higher.
Distressed and grief stricken, Narada cried out: “Help me, please help me, Lord!”
Suddenly he heard a voice: “ And where is the glass of water? You have kept me waiting for half an hour now.”
Narada turned around. He was back on the dusty, dry desert road and stood right before Vishnu.
His master looked gently at him and with a kind smile he said: “Now, that, my dear Narada, that is the nature of Maya.”
