A scrolling story · for children aged 5 to 11 and their grown-ups
Meditation (Dhyan)
Arjun cannot study or rest, because a swirling cloud of worries covers his little lamp like soot. Blowing at the soot only spreads it everywhere. His teacher shows him a better way: sitting still and turning within to the light that was always there.
Scroll down, or use the arrow keys, to walk through the story. Nothing is narrated: it is made for reading aloud together.
Act 1 · The World & the Conflict
Act 1 · card 1 of 4
In a small ashram at the edge of a forest, where the evening bells rang softly, lived a boy named Arjun. Every evening he sat beside his little clay diya (an oil lamp) to study. Arjun loved learning. But lately something strange was happening: whenever he opened his books, his thoughts began to buzz like a hive of busy bees.
Act 1 · card 2 of 4
“What if I fail tomorrow’s test? What if my friends laugh at me? What if…?” The worries swirled above his lamp like a dark cloud of soot. The flame grew dim. The letters on the page blurred. Arjun rubbed his eyes. “I just need to try harder,” he told himself, and he took a deep, cross breath.
Act 1 · card 3 of 4
He huffed and he puffed at the cloud. But the harder he blew, the more the soot flew: onto his books, onto his hands, into every corner of the room! Soon even his dreams felt grey. At breakfast he snapped at his little sister, and then felt sorry. “Why is my mind so stormy?” he whispered.
Act 1 · card 4 of 4
Now the test was only one day away, and his lamp was dimmer than ever. His friend Meera found him sitting alone near the old banyan tree, where their teacher, Guruji, sat each dawn in Dhyan (meditation). “You look so tired,” she said gently. “Why not ask Guruji?” Arjun hesitated. What if Guruji thought he was foolish?
Act 2 · The Crossroads
Act 2 · card 1 of 2
At last Arjun gathered his courage and walked to the banyan. Guruji opened his eyes and smiled, as calm as a still pond. “Guruji,” Arjun blurted out, “my mind is full of soot. I blow and blow, but it only spreads. Tonight is my last chance to study. What should I do?”
Act 2 · card 2 of 2
Guruji did not answer straight away. “You have tried blowing, Arjun,” he said kindly. “There are three gentler doors you could open, and each one leads somewhere true. The choice is yours.” The banyan’s leaves rustled. Somewhere a temple bell rang. Arjun’s heart beat fast. Which door would he choose?
The crossroads · every path is a kind one
Tap a path to see where it leads. You can open all three: there is no wrong answer.
Arjun chose Satya (truth). Instead of fighting his worries, he looked at them honestly, one by one. “I am afraid of failing. I am afraid of being laughed at.” Saying them out loud felt strange, and then… lighter. Guruji nodded. “Soot that you can see is soot that you can clear. Now let us look even deeper within.”
Arjun chose Dharma (doing what is right, one small duty at a time). He picked up a broom and swept the fallen banyan leaves from the courtyard, slowly and carefully, leaf by leaf. His breathing grew even. His hands were busy, and his mind grew quieter. “A clear path clears the mind,” said Guruji. “Now sit with me, and let us find the light.”
Arjun chose Shanti (peace). He stopped blowing, stopped rushing, and sat down beside Guruji. He breathed in slowly… and out slowly. The soot did not vanish at once, but it stopped swirling. It began to settle, like mud sinking in a pond until the water turns clear. “Good,” whispered Guruji. “Now look inside.”
Act 3 · The Inner Awakening
Act 3 · card 1 of 2
Guruji spoke softly. “Arjun, you cannot sweep away darkness. You can only light a lamp. And the brightest lamp is already inside you.” As Arjun sat still, his attention gathered and steady, a gentle warmth seemed to glow within, like a sunrise behind closed eyes. The worries did not need chasing. In that light they simply melted, like morning mist.
Act 3 · card 2 of 2
In DJJS, seekers learn about Brahm Gyan (divine knowledge): by a true Guru’s grace, a person can see the Divine Light within and learn to rest in it through Dhyan. That evening Arjun studied beside his diya, calm and clear. The next day he did his best in the test, and whatever the marks, his inner sun kept shining.
Try it tonight
Tonight, when your thoughts start buzzing like bees at bedtime, don’t blow at them or chase them. Sit up tall, close your eyes and take five slow breaths, counting each one on your fingers. Notice the quiet space between the thoughts. That quiet is where your inner light is waiting.
The heart of the story
Peace does not come from running away from our thoughts. It comes when we light the lamp of meditation inside.
An original story inspired by the teachings in Akhand Gyan
