Rama was a young prince who loved to explore the forests and mountains around his kingdom. He was curious and adventurous, and always eager to learn new things. One day, he heard about a sage who lived in a cave near the river Ganga. The sage was said to be very wise and powerful, but he never spoke a word. He only communicated with his eyes and gestures.

Rama was intrigued by this silent sage, and decided to visit him. He took his bow and arrows, and set off on his horse. He crossed the river, and followed a narrow path that led to the cave. He saw a man sitting outside the cave, wearing a simple white cloth and a rosary around his neck. His hair was long and matted, and his beard was thick and grey. His eyes were closed, and he seemed to be in deep meditation.

Rama approached the sage respectfully, and bowed before him. He waited for the sage to open his eyes and acknowledge him, but the sage did not move. Rama thought that maybe the sage was asleep, or did not hear him. He cleared his throat, and said in a loud voice, "O great sage, I am Rama, the prince of Ayodhya. I have come to seek your blessings and learn from your wisdom. Please, speak to me and guide me on the path of righteousness."

The sage still did not respond. He remained silent and motionless, as if he did not hear or see Rama. Rama felt annoyed and insulted. He thought that the sage was rude and arrogant, and did not care about anyone. He raised his voice, and said angrily, "O sage, why do you ignore me? Do you think you are better than me? Do you think you are the only one who knows the truth? Do you think your silence is a sign of your greatness? I tell you, your silence is nothing but a mask of your ignorance and pride. You are a fool, and a hypocrite. You pretend to be a holy man, but you have no love or compassion in your heart. You are a disgrace to the name of a sage."

The sage still did not react. He continued to sit calmly, with his eyes closed and his face serene. Rama was furious. He thought that the sage was mocking him, and challenging him. He decided to teach the sage a lesson, and show him who was the real master. He took out an arrow from his quiver, and aimed it at the sage's chest. He said, "O sage, I will give you one last chance to speak to me. If you do not, I will shoot this arrow and kill you. Then you will see the power of my words, and the futility of your silence."

The sage opened his eyes, and looked at Rama. His eyes were calm and compassionate, and they seemed to pierce Rama's soul. He did not say anything, but he raised his hand and pointed to the sky. Rama followed his gaze, and saw a huge eagle flying above them. The eagle had a snake in its claws, and it was shrieking loudly. The snake was writhing and hissing, and trying to bite the eagle. The eagle and the snake were locked in a fierce battle, and neither of them was willing to give up.

Rama understood the meaning of the sage's gesture. He realized that the eagle and the snake were like him and the sage. He was the eagle, who was proud and aggressive, and who wanted to dominate and destroy the sage. The sage was the snake, who was humble and passive, and who wanted to escape and survive. Rama saw the futility and the violence of his words, and the wisdom and the peace of the sage's silence. He felt ashamed and repentant. He lowered his bow, and dropped his arrow. He fell to the ground, and prostrated before the sage. He said, "O sage, please forgive me for my arrogance and ignorance. I have sinned against you, and against God. I have spoken harsh and foolish words, and I have threatened your life. I have offended you, and I have dishonored myself. You are a true sage, and I am a foolish prince. You have taught me a great lesson, without uttering a single word. You have shown me the power of silence, and the weakness of words. You have shown me that in prayer, it is better to have a heart without words, than words without a heart."

The sage smiled, and blessed Rama. He said, "O Rama, you are a noble and brave prince. You have a great destiny ahead of you. You have come here to learn from me, but you have learned from yourself. You have seen your own faults, and you have corrected them. You have seen your own virtues, and you have enhanced them. You have seen the truth, and you have accepted it. You have seen God, and you have praised him. You have done what many people cannot do in their entire lives. You have conquered your ego, and you have surrendered to God. You have become a true seeker, and a true devotee. You have pleased me, and you have pleased God. You have nothing to fear, and nothing to regret. You have everything to hope, and everything to rejoice. Go in peace, and be happy. God is with you, and I am with you. May you always be blessed, and may you always be a blessing to others."

Rama thanked the sage, and hugged him. He felt a surge of joy and gratitude in his heart. He felt a new light and a new life in his soul. He felt a new bond and a new love with the sage. He felt a new connection and a new devotion to God. He left the cave, and mounted his horse. He looked at the sky, and saw the eagle and the snake still fighting. He prayed for them, and hoped that they would find peace. He rode back to his kingdom, with a smile on his face and a song in his heart. He never forgot the sage, and he never forgot the lesson. He always remembered that in prayer, it is better to have a heart without words, than words without a heart.