Fond memories of bliss – Part 26
During the recent trip to Hyderabad, Sri Sri Swamiji happened to visit a temple one day. It was raining then and as Sri Sri Swamiji was circumambulating, the sight that He saw touched his heart. Behind the sanctum sanctorum, there was a peepul tree. Under that tree there were many pictures of Lord Srinivasa. They were all around the tree in a disorderly fashion. Devotees who visited the temple, had probably left them there over several years when they shifted home or moved out. The portraits of the Lord, who is the Creator of the whole Universe did not find a safe haven! This thought was unbearable to Sri Sri Swamiji.
As soon as Sri Sri Swamiji got back to where He was staying, he directed Smt Srilatha Ravichandran, a Chartered Accountant devotee from Hyderabad to go to the temple and get the pictures from them.
She did so and that evening all those pictures were handed out by His Holiness to devotees who came to the lecture.
Sri Sri Swamiji’s heart finally found peace at the thought that the Lord would be taken care of “safely” by the devotees who received them from Swamiji.
During the trip, there was an interesting interaction with a devotee.
He asked Sri Sri Swamiji, “We speak of the Alwars, Nayanmars and a great Bhaktas in great reverence and awe. we speak so highly of their elevated state and universality.
But if we look closely the Azhwars who were devotees of Narayana have not sung of any other Lord. The Nayanmars have sung of none other than Lord Shiva. They have not even sung on Devi. This seems to hold good to most devotees and their respective God.
Does this not mount to narrow-mindedness?”
Sri Sri Swamiji gave the most beautiful reply….
“All this narrow-mindedness is only from the perspective of the ignorant because they see many names and forms.
For the true Bhakta who is in the highest state, all he sees is his favourite God.
The Azhwars see none other than Narayana. The Nayanmars see none other than Shiva.
When this is the only object of their perception, where is the question of narrow-mindedness or hatred from their view-point?
Only the ignorant who sees many names and forms, thinks that this Bhakta has sung of one Lord alone and not others. As far as the Bhakta is concerned he sees none else!”
