Offerings To The Master…
Sunday, July 1st, 2012
Prasanthi Nilayam earned the greatest of the heavenly boons to house the Guru Of All Gurus, Lord Of All Lords…The Supreme Overlord Of The Universe. To those who flocks to Prasanthi, to be in the Supreme Presence of the Avatar on Earth, have we ever utilized His presence, following His footsteps, imbibing His precepts? As a precursor to the grand festivity, let’s delve into some holy thoughts, beseeching Him with a prayer, Oh! Lord… an article from M. Balasubramanian, from Sanathana Sarathi September, 1994.
So we are back home after attending another Gurupurnima festival! Did I say `home’? No, we are back at school, the school of this mundane world. We went home, like the student who goes home for the week‑end to see his father and mother, but this parent whom we went to see is not only the Father and Mother but the Guru also.
He gave us instructions and sent us back to this wide world to learn them better by practice. Looking back, how fortunate we were to have had this opportunity of being with Him on the auspicious day, when traditionally the Guru is revered. He often says that the Guru is to be revered not only on a particular day but everyday in one’s life. Yes, and this, our Guru… Do we realize that this Guru is Brahma, Vishnu and Maheshwara, all the three blended into one—the Parabrahmam Himself?
Do we remember how many times we have gone there and how often we have listened to Him? I have lost count. Has it made any difference to us, all those lessons we heard with rapt attention? Every one of us who had gone through the elementary school, still remembers the play of the teacher’s cane on our palms.
But what a teacher this Baba is! He doesn’t even utter a harsh word in spite of our refusal to move out of the first standard of school. What a patience He has, to keep on instructing us, though we refuse to learn beyond the alphabet. Like little children we enjoy the stories He tells us but forget the essence of the discourses. He says, “I give not lectures but mixtures, for your mental health and moral invigoration.”
Last time when we went He gave us a nice sugar‑coated pill, but like the foolish child we are, the sugar on the top and refused to swallow the pill; but He keeps on trying. What then shall we do? We can only pray to Him to bear with us and continue to instruct us.
Fellow pupils! It is said that the doctor must be paid the fees, so that the disease can be cured, and the teacher has to be paid his dues, so that the lessons may be retained in memory.
But what fees can we give Him, this strange Master who says “Come to me with empty hands”! Yes! There is one dakshina we can offer Him. Have you heard of the woman of Samaria who met Jesus at Jacob’s well? After talking to Jesus she ran back to the village shouting “Come and see, the Messiah has come,” and the people came running to see Him. They knew this woman’s ill reputation. Yet, how did they listen to such a woman’s words? Yes, they saw a change had come on her, which was reflected in the sparkle of her eyes, and that made them believe her words.
We know that like the woman from Samaria, we are full of defects, but let our meeting with our Master produce such a change in us that others may see the sparkle in our eyes and go to see for themselves the great Master.
This transformation in us is the greatest votive offering He expects from us. This change is possible only with His continued Grace. So come, let us pray
“Lord! Grant us the sense to understand your lessons. You have promised to be with us in our hearts always! Continue to instruct us, unmindful of our shortcomings. We beseech Thee, not to give us up as Bullheaded. We promise that we shall prove to be worthy of promotion to the higher class. We do not know when we will qualify to get the degree from Your University, but we shall strive at least to enter the High school.”
“Baba! You told us this story of Krishna and Arjuna. When Krishna said the bird in the sky was a dove, Arjuna said it was a dove. When Krishna changed His mind and declared it an eagle, Arjuna promptly agreed. Again when He announced it was a crow, Arjuna assented wholeheartedly. Lord, help us to develop this implicit faith in You, so that we may be put by you on the road to spiritual success.”
“Swami! We do not know how many times in our previous births we had the opportunity to learn at Your Feet. But we do realise our unique privilege to be with You now, and be instructed by You. Grant us Thy Grace to enable us to become Your worthy pupils.”
“Lord! You have told us that the nearer we are to You the more tests we get. May be we dread examinations, but we do understand that we have to pass these tests, to get promotion to the next higher class. Give us courage to face these tests and come out successful so that we can get nearer to You.”
“Swami! Every time we come to You, You prescribe the right medicine and the most beneficial diet regime. But every time we default, like the diabetic patient who keeps on coming to the physician with a relapse of the disease. Help us to follow Your advice and come back to You healthy in body and mind.”
“Master! You say education is a slow process like the unfolding of a flower, the fragrance becoming more and more perceptible with the silent blossoming, petal by petal of the entire flower. I do not know when this flower will fully blossom
Grant Thy Grace so that the unfolding may start now and the fragrance appears soon. Please do not allow it to wither away while still a bud. Let it someday, when in full bloom, adorn Thy holy Feet!”
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