The Unseen Prayer .

- Ravi Ila Bhatt

Once, a humble merchant named Prakash and his young son, Vikas, were sailing across the vast ocean, traveling for trade. Mid-journey, their small vessel was caught in a sudden, brutal storm. After being tossed by the waves for days, their damaged boat finally drifted onto a remote, uninhabited island.

The boat was irreparably broken. Realizing they were stranded, Prakash and Vikas decided they must split up and search for different resources, hoping to increase their chances of survival or finding a signal for help.

Before parting, Prakash placed a firm, reassuring hand on his son’s shoulder. “Vikas,” he said, his voice steady despite their desperate situation, “We are alone in this world now, but we are never truly alone if we have vishwas (faith). Let us seek the refuge of the Almighty. Let us pray to Ishwar for guidance and help.”

With this resolve, they went to opposite sides of the island and began their fervent prayers.

Vikas, consumed by his immediate needs, was the first to pray.

He pleaded, “O God, please let this barren island sprout trees and plants immediately! I am hungry and need sustenance now to survive!”

His prayer was instantly answered. In a miraculous flash of green, fruit-bearing trees and edible plants sprang up around him. It was a true chamatkar (miracle).

Satisfied and feeling a surge of confidence in his own prayers, he focused on his comfort.

He prayed again, “I need a secure place to stay, Prabhu (Lord). Please provide me with a sturdy house to shelter from the elements.”

A neat, strong cottage instantly appeared. Vikas now felt an overwhelming sense of power—he knew his voice was being heard. He immediately set his mind on escape.

“O Divine One, now give me a strong boat so that I can leave this island and return home!”

A brand new boat materialized by the shore. Vikas, without a second thought, boarded it and prepared to sail away.

Just as Vikas grasped the tiller, a powerful, deep voice echoed from the heavens.

“Vikas, my son, are you leaving alone? Will you not take your father, Prakash, along?”

Vikas, full of self-importance, replied, “He must have also prayed, but you clearly did not respond to his calls. Perhaps his mind was not pure (pavitra) enough, or his devotion was lacking. Let him face the consequences of his karma, right?”

The divine voice asked softly, “Do you know what your father, Prakash, prayed for?”

Vikas replied dismissively, “No.”

The voice, now imbued with profound karuna (compassion), spoke the truth: “Your father prayed for only one thing. He prayed: ‘O God, I ask for nothing for myself. Please, fulfill every single wish that my son Vikas asks of you. Let him survive and thrive.’ Everything you are seeing, everything you are receiving, is the result of your father’s selfless prayer.”

The tiller dropped from Vikas's hand. His self-assurance crumbled into shame and deep remorse (pashchatap). The realization of his father's magnificent, unconditional love—a love greater than his own desire for life—hit him harder than any storm. He immediately leapt from the boat and ran to find his father, Prakash.

Moral : The deepest and most powerful prayers are not those that plead for one's own gain, but those that sacrifice one's own needs for the welfare and happiness of others.