Stories for when you feel Feeling Anxious

When Draupadi completely surrendered to Krishna during her disrobing, he miraculously protected her with an endless sari. Complete surrender brings complete protection.

Angada challenged all of Ravanas warriors to move his foot. None could. Faith in the divine makes one unshakeable.

King Ambarisha's devotion was tested when sage Durvasa took offense at him breaking his Ekadashi fast. Durvasa created a demon to kill the king, but Vishnu's Sudarshana Chakra destroyed it and chased Durvasa across the universe until he sought Ambarisha's forgiveness.

Prahlada, son of demon king Hiranyakashipu, remained an unwavering devotee of Lord Vishnu despite his father's repeated attempts to kill him. Enlightened by sage Narada while still in his mother's womb, Prahlada survived all trials through steadfast devotion. Lord Narasimha appeared to slay Hiranyakashipu and protect his devotee.

Though appearing as a fearsome demon fighting Indra, Vritrasura was actually a great devotee (previously King Citraketu). His famous prayers reveal pure devotion - he desired only eternal service to the Lord's servants and welcomed death as union with Krishna.

Destined to die at 16, young Markandeya clings to Shiva lingam as Yama approaches. Shiva emerges and defeats death itself, granting eternal youth. Devotion conquers destiny.

Princess Rukmini writes a secret letter to Krishna asking him to rescue her from a forced marriage to Shishupala. Krishna arrives and abducts her in dramatic fashion, fulfilling her devotion.

A physician in Vrindavan would write daily lists of his needs. Each day, Krishna would arrange exactly that much income. Complete surrender and trust in the divine providing daily sustenance.

Her in-laws sent Mirabai poison, claiming it was nectar. With complete faith in Krishna, she drank it and was unharmed - the poison transformed to nectar. Surrender to God provides divine protection.

When Muslim saint Pir Bhikan Shah visited infant Gobind Rai in Patna, he placed two earthen vessels before him - one with milk (Hindu faith) and one with water (Muslim faith). The child reached out with both hands and touched both pots simultaneously, signifying he would favor all people and religions equally.

Bhai Sati Das, younger brother of Bhai Mati Das, was wrapped in cotton wool soaked in oil, tied to a pole, and set on fire in direct sight of Guru Tegh Bahadur. He remained calm and peaceful, continuously uttering Waheguru while the fire consumed his body.

Krishna is born in Kansa's prison at midnight. Vasudeva carries the divine infant across the flooding Yamuna to Gokul, exchanges him with Yashoda's newborn daughter, and returns. When Kansa tries to kill the baby, she transforms into goddess Yogamaya and warns that his destroyer has already escaped.

During Parshvanathas intense meditation, his enemy Kamath (reborn as rain-god Meghmali) attacked with storms and floods seeking revenge from nine previous lives. Dharanendra, whom Parshvanatha had saved in the fire, appeared and placed a lotus beneath the meditating saint, then spread his many hoods to shelter him. Parshvanatha remained in perfect equanimity.

Nisargadatta Maharaj was a humble Mumbai merchant selling cigarettes when his guru gave him one instruction: meditate on the sense I Am. With complete faith, Nisargadatta followed this simple practice. In just three years, he attained Self-Realization - demonstrating the path to enlightenment need not be long for one with total faith in the gurus words.

Yogananda and his friend Jitendra travel to the holy city of Brindaban without any money to test their faith in divine providence. Despite moments of doubt and hunger, they are miraculously provided for at every turn.

A hungry jackal discovers a wardrum making loud sounds in the forest and fears a monster. Upon investigation, he finds the drum filled with food, teaching that things are not always as fearsome as they seem.

When Lord Vamana asked for three steps of land, Bali agreed despite his guru's warning. Vamana covered heaven and earth in two steps. Bali offered his head for the third, and Vishnu granted him rulership of Sutala and promised to be his doorkeeper.

Child devotee Prahlad refuses to stop worshipping Vishnu despite his demon-king father's persecution. His faith survives every torture, and Vishnu finally manifests as Narasimha to destroy Hiranyakashipu. Prahlad's devotion is so pure he asks forgiveness for his murderous father.

A contemplation on why Narasimha emerged from an ordinary pillar - because Prahlad's complete faith declared God's presence there, teaching that the Divine manifests wherever pure devotion perceives Him.

Ramakrishna taught: The cat catches her kitten with her teeth and they are not hurt; but when a mouse is so caught, it dies. This illustrated how Maya destroys ordinary beings trapped in worldly attachments, but gently carries true devotees who have surrendered to God. For them, even Maya becomes a nurturing mother rather than a destroyer.