Blog

September 2010

I leave all care with Him, seated in my heart, Whose love for me is endless and true. – Chinmaya

The Supreme Lord is not only a perfect Law Maker but also a strict Law Administrator. It is said that even a blade of grass doesn’t move without His permission. Kathopanishad says that He stands like a terror with a raised thunderbolt and therefore, out of fear of Him, the sun shines and the fire burns, the wind blows and the earth revolves etc.

But the sweetest thing is that the very same omnipotent Lord is all the time very very near to us as our own sweet Self, ever available for experience in our hearts. What is there to fear when He is there to take full charge of the entire cosmos. Such being the case, it is utterly foolish to become worried and anxious, thinking of what has happened or what is going to happen.

The condition of the one who worries thus is compared with the traveller who carries his luggage on his head even while travelling in the train. Just as the traveller’s carrying his luggage serves no purpose other than making him tired, our imaginary worries and anxieties drain us away unnecessarily. Lack of faith in His existence and lack of trust in His loving guidance is the cause of all our miseries.

Bhagavan says in Gita that a doubter of the Lord perishes undoubtedly.

A poor Brahmin lived on the banks of Ganga along with his wife. Every day, after his sandhyavandana and other routine ceremonial worships, he used to read one chapter of Bhagavad Gita and then go out for alms. As the days went by, his faith in the teachings was severely put to test when he had to struggle with utter poverty. His begging bowl was seldom filled and the devout couple had hardly anything to eat.

One day, overcome by grief at his misery, as he was going through his regular study of Gita, his eyes fell on the 22^nd verse of the 9th chapter where the Lord says-Yogakshemam vahaamyaham– assuring to bear the burden of all those devotees who take refuge in Him. In that mood of frustration, he took a red pen and scratched out that verse as he felt that in his case the assurance had turned out to be bogus. Somewhat relieved of his anger, he went out for his alms with his begging bowl.

Before long, two boys, brothers by appearance, the younger one of a darker hue, came to his door carrying a bag of rice and other provisions. The wife was surprised, as the boys insisted that the entire provision was for them alone. She found a bleeding cut on the back of the younger boy, and when she asked them who had inflicted the cruel wound, the child blamed her husband. The lady wondered how could her husband lose temper so much as to stab such a charming child. But the brothers disappeared in a flash.

The Brahmin, who knew nothing about this incident when questioned, pleaded innocence. He wondered as to who could have sent them help. His head was in a whirl. As always, he turned to the Gita for consolation. It was then that his eyes fell on the angry gash he had drawn on verse 22,9th chapter. That pen had gashed Sri Krishna’s back!

His want of faith had “wounded” Him so much. He ran like a mad man, to discover the Boy and to fall at His feet, crying for mercy. But He could never be found.

In the Gita, Lord claims that he is the father and mother of the entire universe. Just as a mother loves her child always, irrespective of whether the child is blind, lame, deaf, or dumb, Lord’s love for us also is endless and unconditional.

Bhagavan Sri Adi Shankaracharya says that a wicked son may be born but never a wicked mother. It was He alone who took care of us in our mother’s womb. When we came out, He fed us with mother’s milk. All the love and support we receive from our relatives and well-wishers come from Him alone. When we thus recognize His hands in all happenings, ever extended to bless and guide us, we begin to experience an unearthly peace, as we come to realize that everything that happens to us happens with a purpose, that there is some great lesson to be learnt therefrom. As we evolve through these experiences that life brings to us along with its flow, we gradually recognize His unending love. From then on even the bitterest experiences cease to be bitter, as in and through them is seen His deep concern to relieve us from this unending birth-death cycle.

May we put our trust in His hands so that He may put His peace in our hearts.

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