Ashok Kumar and The Vow

Ashok Kumar and The Vow

Ashok Kumar, aged of 21, the three‑­wheeled scooter driver, was not honest! He cheated his customers every time to the tune of at least 25 paise. One day, he took a cus­tomer to Golf Links where he heard `a Baba’ had come. He stayed on to have His darshan. He saw Him twice that day. He desired to have His photograph, but could not get one.

Next day, Providence directed me to him. I hired his scooter, and he was taking me through Golf Links Road. He turned around and asked me, `Did you see this Baba?” I pretended not to know so that I could draw him out. “Who is He?” I asked. For full half-hour, he narrated to me the miracles of Baba and how lucky he was to have His darshan, not once but twice. I was touched by his genuine enthusiasm. He said, “While taking His darshan, I took an oath that I would never cheat anyone.” When I reached home, I took him to the little altar where I had photographs of Baba garlanded, with small oil lamps burning and incense sticks filling the room with fragrance. I gave him a photograph of Baba. He received it gratefully and said, “Baba has heard my prayers.” I engaged him again and after reaching the destination, he said the charges were Rs. 4.40; I gave him a ten‑rupee note; he returned a fiver, and I asked him to keep the small change due.

Meanwhile another customer got into the scooter. While Ashok and I were engaged in conversation, the `customer’ managed to `pocket’ the ten-rupees note that had fallen on the ground! As I was about to leave, he came running, “Saab! You have not given me the ten rupee-note!” That was a great shock. I gave him another tenner, and told him, “If you find my first note in any of your pockets, return it to me”.

Next day he came to my place. He returned the ten-rupee note. He begged, “Saab! I committed a big mistake”. He explained, “The `gentleman’ who hired the scooter had stolen this note. I detected it when he took the money from his pocket to pay my dues. When anyone gives me a currency note, I fold it always in a different manner. I saw such a note in his possession. He refused to give it to me. There was a fight, a crowd gathered, a policeman came, and the `gentleman’ reluctantly parted with it! After the crowd dispersed, the policeman asked me, “Why should you return the note to that Saab? Let us share it; give me five and you take five” But I told him, “If I am involved in an accident, you are not coming to help me! Baba will come there and help me. I have taken an oath before Baba that I will never more cheat anyone”.

This is one specific example of how an illiterate scooter‑driver turned honest. Maybe many thousands have turned a new leaf in their lives. He Knows. Delhi’s polluted air has been sanctified by His visit. He alone can do it.

                                                    ~R. Ramanujam, New Delhi

Ashok Kumar and The Vow – A Story of Faith, Promise, and Inner Strength

This sacred story is a meaningful reminder that a promise made with sincerity can become a turning point in life. A vow is not just a sentence spoken in emotion; it is a commitment taken before one’s conscience. When the heart is pure and the intention is noble, even a simple promise can guide a person toward discipline, devotion, and self-transformation.

Many people make promises during moments of difficulty. When life becomes uncertain, the mind naturally turns toward God for help. A person may pray for protection, healing, success, or peace, and in that prayer, he may offer a vow. But the real value of a vow is tested after the crisis passes. If the promise is forgotten when comfort returns, it was only fear speaking. If it is remembered with gratitude, it becomes devotion.

Ashok Kumar and The Vow teaches that faith should not be temporary. True faith remains steady both in trouble and in relief. It does not treat the Divine like a helper to be remembered only during pain. Instead, it sees every blessing as a reason to live more honestly and gratefully. A sincere devotee understands that grace is not meant only for personal benefit; it is meant to improve character.

A vow also trains the mind. Human nature often looks for shortcuts. We want results quickly but struggle with discipline. We wish to change, yet old habits pull us back. A sacred promise gives direction. It reminds the person, again and again, that life should not be ruled by weakness. Whether the vow is about truthfulness, service, self-control, prayer, or giving up a harmful habit, it becomes a lamp on the path.

Ashok Kumar and The Vow also highlights the importance of integrity. When no one is watching, the conscience still knows whether we are honoring our word. The world may forget what we promised, but the heart does not forget. Keeping a vow builds inner strength because it proves that the soul is stronger than impulse. Each time a person chooses the promise over temptation, his willpower becomes brighter.

In spiritual life, words carry power. A promise made before God should not be treated lightly. It should be made with awareness, not with pride or excitement. Some people make large vows and then feel burdened by them. Wisdom teaches us to make promises that are sincere, practical, and connected with goodness. A small vow kept faithfully is better than a grand vow broken carelessly.

Ashok Kumar and The Vow reminds us that devotion is not measured by outer display. It is measured by faithfulness in action. Lighting a lamp, offering flowers, singing bhajans, or visiting a holy place may bring peace, but the true offering is a changed life. If a vow helps a person become kinder, more truthful, more disciplined, or more humble, then it has served its highest purpose.

There is also a deep connection between a vow and gratitude. When someone receives divine help, gratitude should not end with words. It should become conduct. A grateful person asks, “How can I live better after receiving this grace?” Such a person does not waste the blessing in selfishness. He allows it to awaken responsibility. This is where devotion becomes mature.

Ashok Kumar and The Vow can inspire every reader to examine personal promises. Have we promised to control anger but continue to speak harshly? Have we promised to pray daily but allow laziness to win? Have we promised to help others but wait for a convenient time? These questions are not meant to create guilt; they are meant to awaken honesty. Real growth begins when we stop making excuses.

A vow may sometimes feel difficult to keep. There may be days of weakness, doubt, or delay. But spiritual progress does not demand perfection in one day. It asks for sincerity. If a person falls, he should rise again. If he forgets, he should remember again. If he becomes weak, he should pray for strength and continue. The Divine looks at the purity of effort, not merely at flawless performance.

Ashok Kumar and The Vow also shows that a promise can become a bridge between human weakness and divine strength. When the devotee takes one sincere step, grace supports the next. The vow becomes less like a burden and more like a sacred friendship with God. It gives the heart a reason to remain alert, grateful, and humble.

In the end, Ashok Kumar and The Vow is a lesson about honoring the sacred bond between word and action. A life becomes noble when promises are kept with sincerity. Faith becomes real when it changes behavior. Gratitude becomes complete when it expresses itself through discipline and service. A vow made with love can purify the mind, strengthen the heart, and lead a person closer to the Divine.

The Ten Commandments