In India, there was a pundit, an Indian priest who ran a temple dedicated to Shiva, a powerful and benevolent god known for taking care of his devotees. The pundit had spent his life spreading Shiva’s message and teaching people to come to the temple, believing that Shiva would always take care of him.

One evening, while he was in a village teaching, night fell, and it was time for him to return home. He set out on his journey, crossing a dark mountain path with no lights. As he neared the edge of the road, something went wrong, and he tripped, falling over the edge.

As he fell, the pundit instinctively called out for help. Despite any doubts or disbelief one might hold, in times of trouble, it’s natural to cry out for divine assistance. So, as he plummeted, he desperately called, “Shiva, Shiva, help me, help me!” Miraculously, he managed to grab hold of a root sticking out from the mountainside, stopping his fall.

Relieved and grateful, he thanked Shiva for saving him. But now, hanging in the darkness, he couldn’t see a way to climb up or down, and his strength was waning. Once again, he began to pray, “Shiva, Shiva, please help me, show me what to do.”

Suddenly, in the silence of the night, he heard a voice. “My son, I can see you. I’ll save you.” Overwhelmed with gratitude, the pundit exclaimed, “Thank you, Shiva! I knew you would come to save me.”

The voice reassured him, “Yes, my son, I will save you. Let go of the branch and fall. I’ll catch you.”

The pundit paused, looked up into the darkness, and called out, “Shiva, is there anybody else out there? Anybody else I can talk to?”

The moral of the story is that prayer and doubt don’t go together. In moments of crisis, we often call out for divine help, but true faith requires letting go of doubt and trusting in the guidance we receive, even when it challenges our fears.