From the Maharshi Newsletters March/ April 2002

[Guest guest]

Pundit and Peasant

 

Once during a visit to the Ashram in the 1940s I was sitting outside the

Old Hall with many devotees, facing Sri Bhagavan who was reclining on a

couch. A group of learned pundits were discussing certain passages from

the Upanishads with great enthusiasm and profundity. All, including

Bhagavan, appeared to be attentively listening to this interesting

discussion when, all of a sudden, Bhagavan rose from his couch, walked

thirty meters to the north, and stood before a villager who was standing

there looking lowly with palms joined.

 

Immediately the discussion stopped and all eyes were turned to Bhagavan

and the villager standing at a distance. They appeared to be conversing,

but at such a distance no one could tell about what. Soon Bhagavan

returned to his couch and the discussion resumed.

 

I was curious about this villager and why Bhagavan had gone out of his

way to meet him. So, while the discussion continued I slipped away and

caught up with him before he left the Ashram. I asked the villager what

he and Bhagavan had talked about. He said that Bhagavan had asked him

why he was standing there so far away. "I told Bhagavan, 'I am only an

ignorant, poor villager. How am I to approach you who are God incarnate?'"

 

"What did the Maharshi say then?" I asked.

 

"He asked me my name, what village I was from, what work I did and how

many children I had, etc."

 

"Did you ask Him anything?"

 

"I asked Him how I could be saved and how I could earn His blessings."

 

"What did He tell you?"

 

"He asked me if there was a temple in my village. I told him there was.

He wanted to know the name of the deity of that temple. I told Him the

name. He then said that I should go on repeating the name of that deity

and I would receive all the blessings needed."

 

I came back to Bhagavan's presence and sat among the devotees listening

to the learned discussion, in which I had now lost all interest,

realizing that the simple humility and devotion of this peasant had

evoked a far greater response from our Master than any amount of

learning. I then decided that, though a scholar by profession, I should

always remain a humble, ignorant peasant at heart, and pray, like that

villager, for Bhagavan's grace and blessings.

 

- Professor K. Swaminathan

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