did we understand it and do we follow this example?

[Guest guest]

THE MAHARSHI

March/April 2002Vol. 12 - No. 2

Produced & Edited byDennis HartelDr. Anil K. Sharma

 

 

 

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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