This is years ago. Before entering my Dentist’s dispensary I noticed a bowl of water he had kept for stray dogs. I casually asked him about it and while drilling my tooth he told me that he keeps a bowl of water at his home for birds also, since in summer water is not easily available for them. I debated this saying that birds will somehow get water from somewhere. He smiled but did not reply.
At home from my fourth floor balcony I looked around, yes, water had dried-up; no wetness was seen on grass in garden below. No trace of water and for that matter no birds anywhere except two three crows croaking somewhere.
I searched out a 10 inch diameter 2inch high brass plate. Thoroughly cleaned it & polished it with “Brasso”, then filled it to the brim by tap water and kept it outside my balcony.
I was wondering how birds will be able to locate it. But within ten minutes a crow came. Noticing me hiding behind door he flew back to the nearest tree. However, he could not control his thirst and came back, drank water 2-3 times keeping a watchful eye on me. Then started croaking and calling his brethren. Soon 4-5 crows came & quenched their thirst. Next, came a pigeon, waiting for crows to fly away. Finally it had a chance to dip its beak in water and drank wholeheartedly. Then it jumped on the edge of the plate, was pleased to see its reflection in water and decided to have a wonderful bath. His bathing was soon disturbed by 2-3 Myna’s who literally drove him out and made tremendous noise while drinking water. I looked and found water very dirty. I cleaned the plate and filled it with fresh water. I realized that every hour I will have to replace water, if I become too sentimental. Thereafter I changed it twice daily. One day I was very pleased to see two parrots perched on edge of my plate drinking water. And then there dawned a day when I had VVIP visitors, A pair of Bulbuls were sitting on the grills of my Balcony.
I am eternally indebted to the Dentist who showed me way to contentment not by advising but by doing it himself.
Why I wrote this incidence is to ask you to follow it. You don’t have to spend money or time or effort to place a bowl of water for birds in the approaching summer. This is “Karma without expectation of fruits”. This was theoretically explained to Arjuna by Krishna, but the birds will practically teach this to you, for the water you offer, they are not going to wag their tails at you like dogs, nor will they perch on your shoulder and sing a song in your ears, in fact they will have total distrust about you and will fly away immediately on your approach.
But their creator will not fail to notice your good deeds and bless you with contentment and peace.
