One day a teacher was taking a class. The day's lesson was on God. The teacher told the students that God was everywhere – present in each object and in every man. The teacher who was a great devotee explained vividly how the Lord peeped out at the world through each and every living thing. The children were very much impressed with the lesson and went on asking several questions about God. The teacher was happy to find them so enthusiastic.
The next day the teacher brought nice ripe plantains for the students and distributed them to all. He told them to take the fruit to a lonely place and eat them where no one saw them.
All the boys nodded their heads and soon ran out of the class room. Within fifteen minutes all the children returned except one. When asked by the teacher, each boy said that he went to a lonely place and ate the plantain.
After half an hour the last boy returned. The plantain was still in his hands. Everyone looked at him in surprise. Why did he not eat his fruit? The teacher asked the boy, "Why didn't you eat your fruit?"
The boy replied, "Sir, you told us yesterday that God was present in all beings and peeped out through them into the world. When you asked me to eat the fruit in a lonely place where no looked at me, I ran to every nook and corner, but I didn't find it lonely. Under the bushes, God looked at me through the tiny squirrels. Under the trees He looked at me through the birds. In the house, he looked at me through the ants and sparrows. When I went to the lake, He looked at me through the fish and lotuses. I couldn't find a place where He was not present. Therefore I couldn't eat the fruit."
The teacher was very happy with the boy who could see God everywhere. He embraced him and said, "Son, you are correct. God watches through all the beings. So when you have to eat or drink anything, first offer the food to Him and then eat it as His prasad."
The boy obeyed his teacher and felt very happy, because the plantain tasted sweeter knowing it was the Lord's prasad.
– Chinmaya Vidyalaya, Tarangini Four. By Swami Chinmayananda and Swamini Sharada Priyananda
