Editorials
04/14/98 - 1742
The Life-Giving Tree
(VNN) - by anonymous
A dream a Prabhupada disciple had:
Many years ago, a wise old man saw about him a world filled with
sorrow and despair, and so he planted a seed. His was a seed for
the tree of life, which he knew would cure the troubled hearts
of men and women everywhere. He carefully planted the seed, and
under his watchful eye the tree grew swiftly. As its strong branches
spread upward it glowed with a beauty and warmth never before
seen by anyone, and to all he met the wise man explained that
this was the eternal tree of life, and that their souls could
find shelter there. By the hundreds and thousands, young men and
women were drawn to the tree, captivated by its power and loveliness.
Its wonderful qualities emanated an overwhelming sense of purity
and safety, and in natural response they lifted their arms and
danced in sublime pleasure around its brilliant form. The wise
man seemed to understand everything about the mystery of the tree
of life, and he explained why it acted as it did upon their hearts.
Then one day, long before anyone could ever imagine it would happen,
the wise man disappeared. Those who had been there when he left
said he had told them privately to move the tree to a new place.
But the men and women who had danced for years and years about
the tree were not happy to hear this, for they were sure the wise
man had planted the tree where it belonged. Why had he not told
everyone they wondered? He had never been secretive about his
wishes before? But those who said he had told them to move the
tree insisted "That is what he said," and they quickly converged
about the tree, vigorously uprooting it in order to carry it to
some new place. Many of the others refused to go with them as
they carried it away, saying "This is where the tree belongs!
You don't need to move the tree!" Others tried to follow, for
they loved the tree and didn't want to live apart from it, but
in their hearts they resisted.
Before those carrying away the tree had gone far, matters became
perplexing. Arguments broke out about where the tree should now
go, and some of those who had most strongly insisted on moving
it began to fall ill, while others among them began to claim that
the tree, and the wise man who planted it, were not what they
had appeared to be. Those too went away, but others stepped forward
to assume their place, claiming that they now knew where the tree
must go. Sadly, for the many who followed in spite of their opposition,
the tree now appeared less brilliant than before. They cried out
to those who held the tree, "Let us take the tree back to its
natural place, for returning it there will bring back its original
brilliance and the blessings of the wise man." But those who now
carried the tree said no, we will soon find a new place for the
tree of life. This they said even though the tree, which had once
been light as an angel's breath, now weighted them down, and
as they walked on they slumped from the burdensome weight of the
tree.
Today, after so many years have passed, nearly all the men and
women who had danced around the life-giving tree have quietly
returned to the tree's original ground. There they wait for the
tree to be returned to its proper place, to the place where the
wise man had so carefully planted it. They still dance and sing,
and remember the wonderful wise man and how he cared for his tree;
but there is still a sadness in their hearts, for the wise man's
tree is not there. Those who carried it away still search for
a place to plant it, although they now sense that a new place
will never be found.
Perhaps, as the tree grows heavier on their shoulders they will
bring it back and share it with the men and women who helped the
wise man nurture the tree. Perhaps they will bring it back to
where the wise man so carefully planted it many years ago.
