Four brothers came to a grave site to honour the memory of their father who had died many years before. The brothers wanted to know whether his soul was dwelling in Paradise or in hell. They were all eager for their father’s spirit to appear before them and tell how it was doing in the next world.

Their father’s image appeared before them in a wondrous radiance. The brothers were awed, and their hearts were afire when they saw this miraculous vision. When they finally regained their composure, they enquired:

“Tell us, Father, does your soul dwell in Paradise?”

“Yes, my sons,” their father replied, “my Soul delights in a wondrous Paradise.”

“Tell us, Father,” the brothers started asking, “what fate awaits our souls after our own flesh dies?”

And the father responded to each of his sons in turn with a question of his own:

“Tell me, my sons, how do you appraise your deeds to date upon the Earth?”

And each brother answered his father in turn. The elder son began:

“I have become a great military leader, Father. I have defended my native land against its foes, and never allowed an enemy foot to tread upon it. I have never offended the poor and infirm. I have endeavoured to take good care of the soldiers under my command. I have always honoured God, and therefore I hope to enter into Paradise.”

The second son replied to his father:

“I have become a prominent preacher. I have preached goodness to the people. I have taught them to worship God. I have reached great heights and achieved high standing among my peers, and therefore I hope to enter into Paradise.”

The third son replied to his father:

“I have become a prominent scientist. I have designed a great many devices to benefit people’s lives. I have raised a large number of handsome buildings for mankind. Each time I start a new construction project, I give praise to God and celebrate and honour His name, and therefore I hope to enter into Paradise.”

The youngest brother answered his father:

“I, Father, cultivate a garden and work daily at raising vegetables. From my splendid garden I send fruits and vegetables to my brothers and try not to do anything dishonourable or displeasing to God, and therefore I hope to enter into Paradise.”

The father replied to his sons:

“Your souls, my sons, will indeed dwell in Paradise after your flesh dies.”

The vision of their father faded. Years went by the brothers died and their souls met in the Garden of Paradise, only the soul of their younger brother was not among them. The three brothers then began to call out to their father, and when he once again appeared before them in his wondrous radiance they asked him:

“Tell us, Father, why is the soul of our little brother not among us in this Garden of Paradise? It has been a hundred earthly years since we last spoke with you at your gravesite.”

“Do not be concerned, my sons,” replied the father.

“Your little brother’s soul, too, is dwelling in the Garden of Paradise. Only he is not here with you right now because your little brother is at this moment communicating with God.”

Another hundred years went by; and once again the brothers met in the Garden of Paradise. But again, their younger brother was not with them. And again, the brothers called for their father. When he appeared, they asked:

“See, another hundred years has gone by; but our little brother has not come to meet us, nor has anyone seen him in the Garden of Paradise. Tell us, Father, where is our little brother now?”

And the father answered his three sons:

“Your little brother is communicating with God, and that is why he is not among you.”

And the three brothers began asking their father to show them where and how their younger brother was communicating with God.

“Take a look,” the father replied. And the brothers saw the Earth, and there was the marvellous garden which their little brother had cultivated during his life. In this wondrous earthly garden their brother, looking so much younger, was explaining something to his child. His beautiful wife was busying herself nearby.

The brothers asked their father in astonishment:

“There is our little brother in his earthly garden as before, not in the Garden of Paradise as we are. What is he to blame for before God? Why has his flesh not died? Several centuries have passed in Earth years, and here we see him as a young man? Does that mean God has somehow changed the order of the Universe?”

And the father answered his three sons:

“God has not changed the order of the Universe, which He established right from the start in great harmony and inspired love. Your brother’s flesh has died, and on more than one occasion.

But the place of one’s soul in the Garden of Paradise is best created by one’s own hands and soul. Just as for any loving mother and father the child of their own creation is always the most glorious. According to the Divine order of things, the soul of your little brother should assuredly be granted entrance to the Garden of Paradise, but seeing this garden is on the Earth, it is immediately incorporated into a new body in the earthly garden so dear to it.”

“Tell us, Father,” the brothers went on, “you were saying that our little brother is communicating with God, but we do not see God with him in his garden.”

And the father responded to his three sons:

“Your little brother, my sons, is looking after God’s creations – the trees and the grass they are the Creator’s own materialised thoughts. In treating them with love and conscious awareness, your brother is thereby communicating with God.”

“Tell us, Father, shall we ever return to the Earth in fleshly form?” the sons asked their father. And they heard him answer:

“Your souls, my sons, now dwell in the Garden of Paradise. They can take on earthly form only if someone creates a garden for your souls on the Earth similar to the one in Paradise.”

The brothers exclaimed:

“Gardens are not created with love for other people’s souls. We ourselves, once we are given a fleshly form, shall cultivate a Garden of Paradise on the Earth.”

But the father replied to his sons:

“You were given that opportunity already; my sons.”

After this response the father began to quietly withdraw. But once again the three brothers cried out and asked their father:

“Dear father, show us your place in the Garden of Paradise. Why do you withdraw yourself from us?”

The father stopped and replied to his three sons:

“Look there! Do you see that leafy apple tree flowering beside your little brother in his garden? Under that apple tree is a little cradle, and in that cradle is the beautiful body of a tiny infant that has just wiggled its little hand as it begins to awake. My soul is alive in that little body. After all, that was the marvellous garden I began creating myself … “

Excerpt from the book of Kin by Vladimir Megre