Exchange Students.

Exploring/ their leelas.

The four went to the ice cream vender, where they joined the line. Well of course the divine has to study the behavior of the people, even though they're very down to earth. Yet this will help them blend in. Suddenly, the deities became astonished when they heard little conversations in the line, so they conversed amongst themselves.
"What is this they're talking about? So strange?" They thought.
All their curiousity stopped when the vender called them.
"Hi, gentlemen. What flavours would you like?" He asks.
"Vanilla." Buddha suggests, while Shiva agreed.
"Coconut!" Then Jesus and Vishnu agreed on the same flavour.
"That will be 20." The vendor smiles.
Furthermore they sat on a bench, which was situated under a shady tree, while they were at it relishing their ice cream
"Ymmm." Shiva remarks.
"A blissful feeling isn't it." Buddha added. "This is so delicious."
"My love for milk." Shiva says.
"My love for sweet desserts." Jesus remarks.
"I can relish this ice cream for hours!" Vishnu's face lit up.

Afterwards, the deities had decided to split up and meet again at the bus stop, where they have to journey to the high school in order to entroll. The city however was like an ocean of colour, and culture, it's rich traditions had stained their walls. Yet.....some walls had faded. Stores and souvenir shops outlined the streets, and the smell of food pigmented the air.

Shiva was casually walking through the town, till something caught his eyes. It was the cutest thing he have ever saw!! A group of children was doing a little play, reenacting the marriage of Shiva Parvati. The little actors were however really adorable and innocent. Their faces were rounded and plump! The boy who was acting as Shiva had every detail of Shiva correctly, from his Chandrasekhara to the his tiger skin attire, from his Trishul to his Vasuki. Everything! And The tiny actress for Devi Parvati had captured everything what symbolises Parvati. Purity, beauty, grace and divinity.
"Come Parvati." They acted. "Let me show you our Kailash."
"Nath. How is it ours? Everything is yours." Parvati said.
"No. Ours. You're my Ardhangani, devi. Shiv is not Shiv without his Shakti."
"Such beautiful words nath."
"We're ardhinareshwar."

The children had just captured Shiva with their beautiful story. And Shiva on the other side was sweetly reminiscing.
"I remember." Shiva happily thought. "When I have first carried my devi Parvati to Kailash after our wedding. Very auspicious."
Other than the Shiva Parvati couple, there was also a cast of devtas like Brahma, Vishnu, Indradev and the demigods.
"Uncle!" The little Shiva spotted Mahadev. "How was our acting, and our costumes?"
"Everything is perfect." Shiva lovingly caressed their cheek. "You all are so precious."
"Thanks uncle!"
"Will you give us blessings."
"My blessings are always with you."
"What is your name, uncle? You seem like Lord Shiva Himself had ascended.
Shiva sank his eyes, as he knew that was exactly what happened.
"My name is Gaurav. But it's great that you see God in everyone. God resides in everyone, and He shines through our good deeds."
"Ok uncle."
"Take care you all. I have to go."
"Wait uncle. Will our lord Shiva be pleased with us?"
"Yes of course. I- I mean he is Bhavnath and Bholenath. He will be more than pleased."
"Great!"
"Bye Gauravji!!"
"Bye precious one."
It is revealed, that whenever Shiva feels compassionate, he literally stays in one spot, as he is taken up by divine bliss. And also he would get the urge to grant a boon.
"Aha." Shiva stopped, when he got a headache. This caused him to shut his eyes. "These children want to get a high grade in their exams. Thataasthu. May they be successful and be abundant with happiness and good health."

Meanwhile, Jesus found himself in a little Christian gift shop. The shop howver was very large, and filled with all types religious paintings, pendants, statues, olive oils, bottles of holy water and other religious nicnacks. Well Jesus is accustomed to these types of shops, but it's always amusing to see a whole store entirely covered in images of him. Afterwards, he decided to stroll through the isles, yet he began to listen to some conversations.

There's one conversation in particular, which was between a family, who was getting their little religious necessities.
"Ma, is Jesus really compassionate?" A little four year old aks.
"Does he really love children."
"Of course." Their mother answered. "He said bring the children unto me."
"Well we also love him."
"Yes, and you should always have a conversation with him in your spare time."
"Ma, you know what! When I get home I will speak to him!"
"I see." Jesus smiles. "So sweet that my children are wishing to talk to me."
"I want to meet him and embrace him." Another child said.
"Of course you can." Jesus stretched out his arms, then he remembered that he's in a disguise . "This is not the time to reveal myself."
Thereafter Jesus went to the other side for the store, where he heard another person talking about their devotion. He couldn't help himself from feeling compassionate towards them, that something extreme happened.
"Mister!! Your hands are bleeding!!" A passerby became shocked. Then he pulled out a rag.
"My what?"
"Are you hurt?!"
"It's just." Jesus hides his stigmata."
"Look, you need medical attention."
"No, I accidentally knocked over some glass. Um...I must go."

Soon after, Jesus went to yet another side of the store, where he stood in front of a large portrait of himself(by not knowing). But luckily his stigmata disappeared.
"I should try my best to conceal my stigmata, before someone sees. Or worst. Examines." Jesus thought. "It's uncommon for someone to find a person with hands which were pierced by nails."

"Hey!!" Afterwards, a woman confronted him. "I recognise you."
"You do?" Jesus asks, then turned around for just a second. "You do?"
"Yea! You're the gardener! The neighborhood garderner!" She replied.
"Y....yea. that's me." Jesus replies. "Please excuse me, child. I have to catch the bus."
"So strange." She thought. "Such a young man, and he's referring me as child."

Now whenever Jesus feels compassionate towards his devotees and the rest of mankind, his hands and feet would begin to bleed. (Stigmata). Because he once bled for mankind. Even if he sees someone in pain, it will happen.

On the other side, Vishnu was bombarded by a yatra of Vishnu devotees, who were completely engrossed in Hari naam. The air was completely filled with the purest of veneration, as the devotees sang Vishnu's praises. Narayan however was overjoyed by their genuine hearts. The creator will always love the created.
"May you all be blessed." Narayan raised his hand to bless his devotees. "I'm pleased by such devotion."
Thereafter, he called a woman who was carrying a pot of homemade butter.
"Arrey! Where are you going, Auntie ji." Vishnu sounded as cheerfully and bubbly as Krishna.
"To my lord Krishna." She replies. "It's a Bankar Bahari yatra."
"So lovely!"
"Will you come along?"
"But I'm lord Krishna." Vishnu thought.
"Come na."
"Auntie ji. I have already visited m- lord Krishna's mandir."
"Good."
"Butter!!!" Vishnu took the pot and began to to relish the butter.
"Arrey!"
"How do you know that I love butter!!" Vishnu smiles.
"It's not for you. It's for lord Krishna."
"Your butter is as delicious as Maiya Yashodha's."
"Oh. Really?"
"Yes! I can't call you auntie ji anymore, but Maiya Yashodha."
"I'm honored. But Natkhat! You had eaten all my butter!"
"Ohh, I heard someone call me." Vishnu cheerfully ran off.

The woman afterwards looked down at her empty pot. But to her suprise, a lot of genda flowers appeared and filled her pot.
"This is a miracle!" She became shocked. "Who was he!! He's the lord Krishna Himself. But where is he?"

Afterwards Vishnu went to a vendor who was selling mangoes, so that he can repeat a leela. Vishnu however knew that the vender was his ardent devotee.
"Greetings." Narayan smiles.
"Hi."
"Can I have five of your remaining mangoes." Narayan asks. "Yet I don't have enough money."
The vendor looked at him in disbelief. "I don't understand you! How can you buy anything without enough money."
"Firstly, let me give you what I have." Narayan then gave him a few coins. "Dear. I had spent my money on ice cream with my friends."
"Anyways, my Shree Hari teaches us to be humble."
Vishnu takes the mangoes and happily left. Then the vendor's basket became filled with gold and jasmine flowers.

Meantime, Buddha was walking through the town, until he sensed something. That sense however had pulled on his bright aura.
"Someone is saying my mantra." He says. "I must appear in front of them."
Moreover there was a group of people who were meditating under a tree and venerating Buddha.
"Buddham Sharnam Gacchami." They recited in harmony. "Buddham Sharnam Gacchami."
He then sat under the tree in Padmasan, while the devotees had their eyes closed. But when Buddha sat under the tree, fruits sprouted. The rhythm of the mantra was putting him in a blissful trance, then afterwards he began to glow.

To be continued.......