Significant Words…
Thursday, May 2nd, 2013
The wonderful multicoloured panorama of God’s creation, with its varied faces, is astounding when one looks at it with an eye of love and compassion. Today, man often fails to look at the world with his natural vision, failing to catch the bigger picture, missing out its beauty owing to blurred, tainted vision. A beautiful eye-opener from the early sixties, as chronicled by Sri PS Menon…from Sanathana Sarathi, September 1960.
Last Dasara, on the day when the poor were fed, I and few others were holding back the thousands, beyond the gate of Prasanthi Nilayam for over two hours, when suddenly, in obedience to some one’s orders, they broke all barriers and rushed pell-mell to the pandal, to the left of the Nilayam! I was very much annoyed that all our labour gone to waste; but, Baba called me towards the pandal saying “Menon! Go and see that all are seated in rows. I Am coming.” I went to the pandal and was surprised to see all that motley mass arranged in perfect rows. Baba came there in a few minutes. He walked along the rows, and turning towards me, said “Menon! Look at the wonderful variety of ceation!” That was a revealing remark. Those words opened my eyes. Yes, there must have been present in that pandal, at that time, many pious souls, sadhakas, saints, seekers, pretenders, penitents, idlers, idealists, castaways, morons, misfits, and many other types besides, making up this vast multicoloured panorama of humanity. The scene was not something to be viewed with disgust, as I was prone to; it was something to be watched, and studied with sympathy and discrimination.
A few hours later when the feeding had started and Baba had served with His Hand the sweets to the poor, Himself to each and everyone. I was in the kitchen near the pile of the rice, straightening my back to relieve the strain. Suddenly, Baba appeared before us. He asked me, “Grand, isn’t it?” I replied, “Yes, Swami. There must be at least three thousands.” But Baba smiled and said, “Not that! The Shanti and the Ananda (Peace and Happiness) here now… How is that?” Significant words those two! Yes, they revealed to me my error, in getting disgusted with the noise and confusion all around me. I must have concentrated, instead on the Ananda that the poor got and the consequent Shanti that prevailed in their minds. These were more real, than the noise and confusion, certainly.
Thus does Baba, by a casual remark, a word or two, reveal to the ignorant the significance of things and events. He is The Sadguru, the Supreme Teacher.
Posted in Sai Spiritual Showers |
