By: O. K. Varada Rao
Facing a setback or experiencing loss can seriously impact our self-esteem as it punches a hole in our anticipated successor fulfillment. We realize painfully that life is not good and that we are a small player in the larger scheme of events, often at the mercy of things beyond our control. We feel helpless, hopeless and betrayed. There are very few who find an escape from this black hole with their spiritual energy and benefit the others also.
Sri Narasimha Swamiji used go for a walk in the mornings. An eccentric person by name Velu Mudaliar was staying along the same road in an upstairs house. He used to throw garbage on Sri Narasimha Swamiji daily. Sri Narasimha Swamiji ignored his mischief, by just wiping his head. He did not discuss this with others.
One day Sri Narasimha Swamiji did not see garbage falling on his head. He felt something wrong. He went up the steps to reach that house. The person who used to throw garbage at him was bed-ridden. Sri Narasimha Swamiji enquired his health, administered a pinch of ‘udhi’ and prayed for his early recovery.
Velu Mudaliar was overcome with emotion. He wept profusely. It was a rude shock for him. He used to daily throw garbage on this old man more as a prank. Instead of abusing, he has visited his house to pray for him! No doubt, he fell at Sri Narasimha Swamiji’s feet and became a Sai-devotee later.
That was the greatness of a Mahathma like Sri Narasimha Swamiji. How many of us take a bad situation and turn it into a good one? Sri Narasimha Swamiji’s attitude points the way for us to learn how to use our pain which is not real but emanates from our attachment to ego and its inconsequential desires.
Mindfulness somebody’s mischief is ‘tit for tat’. In 1942, Sri Narasimha Swamiji and Dasaganu entered a village near Sholapur. A stranger abused Dasa Ganu as a ‘fake sanyasi’. In his ‘poorvashram’, Dasa Ganu was a Police Constable and had strongly punished that person. But Dasa Ganu did not retaliate and kept smiling. Later he explained to us that the stranger has settled his previous account with him now and if he had retaliated, it will start a fresh account! If someone criticizes, think about it calmly. If there is truth in it, correct yourself. If it is some misunderstanding, try to fix it and move on. Or, just ignore it.
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