Two Beautiful Stories…
Friday, July 5th, 2013
Two beautiful stories, one from the time of Lord Rama as recounted by Bhagawan Himself and another one by Lt. Gen. ML Chibber (Retd), a beautiful ‘darshan’ incident from 1990, narrating most unpretentious face of devotion of a Gorkha woman… From the archives…
Once a dog came to Sri Rama bleeding from blows. Lakshmana was sent to inquire why it had to receive such blows. The dog said: “I was beaten by a brahmin with a stick.” The brahmin was questioned. He said that the dog always was annoying him by coming across his path. Rama asked the dog: “Well, how do you want to punish the brahmin?” The dog said: “Make him a manager of a temple.” Rama replied with wonder: “That would be a reward not a punishment.” The dog said: “No, I was a manager of a temple in my previous birth. It was impossible not to mishandle or misuse or misappropriate some fraction of God’s money. When he is that manager, he too will get like me this canine birth and perhaps get beaten too in his subsequent birth.”
In fact, not only the dog or the brahmin, but every one of (us) are lining off the property of God, for does not all this belong to Him? What do we do in return for all benefits we derive from the property of the Lord? We should not simply eat and sit quiet. We have to render service to the poor and the helpless in a manner suitable to us.
It was darshan time in Prasanthi Nilayam on 25th February 1990. Bhagawan was slowly walking in front of the lines of ladies. There was hushed silence.
Suddenly an old Gorkha lady stood up in the back row. Oblivious to all the raised eyebrows and raised hands to make her sit down, she walked slowly towards Bhagawan as if she had all the time in the world. Swami, knowing the devotion of the old lady, paused with a flicker of a smile. She approached Him, as if she had a prior appointment. Slowly she bent down to offer a Padanamaskar and without hurry got up. Without even looking at Bhagawan she turned round in slow motion, while thousands of devotees watched in wonder and surprise. Without any sign of emotion, with steady and unhurried steps, she walked back to her place and sat down.
Watching her I recalled how during World War II Rifleman Agam Bahadur Rai had won a Victoria Cross. He got out of his trench, walked unhurriedly to within 35 yards of a fire spitting Japanese tank, took a deliberate aim with his anti-tank rifle and blew it up. And then equally slowly he turned around and walked back to his trench. He had been taught that 35 yards was the best range for a guaranteed destruction of a tank! A Gorkha does what he feels is his dharma.
Posted in Sai Spiritual Showers |
