A phone call out of the blue from a student I had taught a decade ago reconnected me with the profound concept of destiny.
Initially hesitant, my former student shared a beautiful story from Hindu mythology, the tale of Lord Garuda and the Little Bird. According to the story, the god Yama, the master of death, looked intently at a little bird, indicating its imminent demise.
Touched by compassion, Lord Garuda, Vishnu’s half-man, half-eagle vehicle, swooped down to save the bird from its fateful encounter. He carried it far away to a forest, thinking he had outwitted the inevitable.
However, upon Yama’s return, Garuda inquired about his earlier perplexed glance at the bird. Yama revealed that he had foreseen the bird’s death by a python’s bite in that very forest where Garuda had hidden it.
This tale resonated with the famous story of ‘Death in Samarra’, where a man encounters Death in a Baghdad marketplace and flees to Samarra to escape his fate. Ironically, he meets Death in Samarra as well, demonstrating that destiny cannot be avoided.
My former student’s call reminded me of the interconnectedness of seemingly random events and the enduring power of destiny. It was a testament to the enduring impact of storytelling and its ability to shape our understanding of the world.
