Chaitanya wins over the Muslim soldiers

Sri Chaitanya was one of India’s greatest spiritual Masters. Once there was a Muslim leader who turned against him. In the beginning, the Muslim leader was very nice and was not against Chaitanya and his followers. “They are Hindus, great worshippers of Vishnu,” he said. “There is nothing wrong in what they are doing. It is their faith. Why should we stand against their faith?”

But the leader’s admirers and followers said, “They must not be allowed to dance and sing in the street. They are destroying our peace. Let us send our soldiers into the city. The next time these devotees start singing and dancing in the street, our soldiers will beat them black and blue, and they will stop.”

After much persuasion, the Muslim leader finally agreed. But when his soldiers went to stop Chaitanya and his followers, the soldiers saw that thousands of people were singing and dancing with them. The soldiers felt utterly lost.

In a half hour’s time, the soldiers got so intoxicated from watching Chaitanya dance that they also started dancing. When the Muslim leader came and saw that his soldiers had been very nicely converted and were dancing with the enemies, the leader came and fell at Chaitanya’s feet and begged his forgiveness.

He said, “I didn’t want to torture you, but my followers instigated me. Now my army has seen something divine in you and your devotees, and my men have joined you.”

Chaitanya replied, “Whoever has faith in God and love of God has found the true religion.”