Many a times we are in dilemma - among multiple choices or actions, which one we should follow? It is said that the enlightened ones follow the Divine Will which can never be wrong. For others who are on the path towards enlightenment, it is advised to sit in meditation (or to calm down mental agitation to be without bias) and to follow what the heart says (whatever comes from within). But that also requires practice; only who have traveled enough on the path can truly listen to their hearts. For the less traveled ones, I think, the best approach is to follow what Garuda did in the following story.
Garuda's Compassion
In the wondrous region of the Kailas – the subtle Kailas that could not be visible to the ordinary human eye – was the abode of Shiva.
One evening Vishnu went to see Shiva. He left his vehicle, Garuda, in front of the grand natural arch leading into Shiva’s abode. Garuda sat alone marveling at the grandeur of the place – the physical place visible to all. The splendours of the rays of the setting sun had sprayed seven colours on the mist and the snow enveloping the high peaks.
Suddenly his eyes fell on a beautiful creature, a little bird seated on the stone arch. "How marvelous is this creation! One who has made the gigantic Himalayas has also made this tiny bird – and both seem equally wonderful!" he thought.
Just then Yama, the guardian deity of Destiny and Death, happened to enter the arch, perhaps with the intention of having a darshan of Shiva. As he would step into the other side of the arch, his eyes went over to the bird. His brows were raised. Then he took his eyes off the bird and disappeared behind the arch.
Garuda who observed this, told himself, “Yama looking intently at the bird can mean only one thing: the bird's time is over! Perhaps on his way back Yama will take its soul away!"
Garuda's heart was filled with pity for the bird. He wanted to save it from its impending death. But he told himself, “The laws of Destiny are at work. It is none of my business to interfere in it!"
A minute passed. Garuda found that his emotions were not pacified. "If I can serve the bird, why should I not do so?” he took himself to task about it.
Next moment his other voice told him, “This is my egoistic impulse. Who am I to think of saving anyone?”
Suddenly he heard a subtler voice speaking from deep within: “At the moment I am not sure whether wisdom lies in my taking action or not taking action. I pray let whatever I do in this uncertain state, become a part of the total, Providential scheme. I offer my emotions and actions to Thee, my Lord!”
Next moment he took up the bird and at the speed of lightning went down into Dandakaranya and left it on a rock beside a brook. Then he returned to Kailas and waited for Vishnu.
But Yama came out earlier and he saw Garuda and smiled at him. Garuda greeted the god and said, “May I put a question to you? While going in, you saw a bird and for a moment looked rather pensive. Why?”
“Oh, I had forgotten all about it. Well, the moment my eyes fell on it, I knew that it was to die after a few minutes, swallowed by a python, far, far away in Dandakaranya, near a brook. I wondered how this tiny bird would cover such a great distance in such a short time. Then I forgot about it. Surely, it must have happened, somehow. It was time for the little creature to take a new birth.”
Yama smiled and went away. Did he know about Garuda’s role in the matter? We do not know.
But Garuda sat stunned. At first uncertain whether to be sad or happy, soon he transcended the need to be in any such state of mind. “O Lord, I’m a vehicle of yours! Let me remain a vehicle of yours both in action and inaction,” he said. He was back in his mood of enlightened equanimity.
Source: (1) Aurobindo Society's Magazine 'Next Future' : June 2010, (2) The Speaking Tree. But I like the interpretation of Next Future.
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