Bhagavan Ramakrishna's short stories - Faith and wonders

BHAGAVAN RAMAKRISHNA'S SHORT STORIES

FAITH AND WONDERS

A man's son once got unwell and no medicine could cure him.The man lost hope and was not knowing what to do.   One day a sanyasi came that way and the man told him about the treatments given already and asked the sanyasi to help him.   The sanyasi told to do the following - There was only one way.    When the Swathi Nakshatra was at its peak, it should rain.   The waters from the rain should fall on a skull.  Near the skull, a snake should go at the back of a frog to catch it.    When the snake attempted to catch the frog, it should escape by jumping over the skull, but in the process, the snake's venom should fall in the water filled in the skull.   Later, a medicine should be prepared with that water with the venom and if that was given to his son, he would be cured of the illness.

The man saw the time when the Swathi Nakshatra would come and found that it was the very next early morning at the sunrise.    He prayed fervently to God that all the conditions expressed by the sanyasi should happen the next day and that he should get the medicine and thus the god should save his son.    The man left his house in search of a skull and never left any stone unturned and finally could see a skull under a tree.   He took that and after keeping it aside, again prayed to god for his blessings to happen as the sanyasi said.   After a while, swathi nakshatra when it came to peak, it started to rain and also filled the skull which he had kept.  At that, he again prayed to God with all the fervour by sayings two things had happened already with the Gods blessings and that the rest of the things should hapeen for which the God alone should help.   After sometime, a frog came near the skull and he did not wait and prayed again to God.  His prayers did not go as a waste and a cobra came shortly and went after the frog to catch it.   Even as this was happening, the man's mind was very anxious and engaged in prayers for the blessing of God.   The snake in its attempt to catch the frog found the frog had jumped over the skull but had spilled the venom.   The venom fell in the water in the skull.   Seeing that, the man thought how benevolent God was and that whatever we thought difficult also happened because of God.  The hope that his son would get cured was felt by the man and he prayed in reverence to the God for all that happened.
Ramakrishna continued and said to his disciples that fervent prayers, true belief in full measure helped to get Gods blessings.    God could know what was happening everywhere and knew even the sound of dropping a small mustard.    Therefore, children, your payers would be heard by him.  Pray fervently and with full faith.

Bhagavan Ramakrishna's short stories - Two yogis

BHAGAVAN RAMAKRISHNA'S SHORT STORIES

TWO YOGIS

Two yogis were doing their tapas in order to see the God.   One day, Sage Nararadha went past them.   One of the yogis asked Naradha whether he was coming from Vaikunta?   The sage replied as "yes".   Then the two yogis asked Naradha what the bhagavan was doing at that time?   Naradha said "Bhagavan was playing and enjoying making elephants and camels to go through the eye of the needle forward and backward".   For that, one of the yogis said it was no wonder and Bhagavan would definitely do to such things.   There was nothing in the world that the bhagavan could not do.    However, the other yogi said that it was foolish to say such things.  He also said that showed the sage had not gone to Vaikunta ever and definitely not coming from there.
The first yogi's faith and devotion on the bhagavan is like that of the child to feel that there cannot be anything in this world, which the bhagavan cannot do.   We should understant that Bhagavan's many gunas cannot be understood also.  Whatver is said about the bhagavan will fit in aptly.

Bhagavan Ramakrishna's short stories - Destroying Naradha's agankara

BHAGAVAN RAMAKRISHNA'S SHORT STORIES.

Destroying Naradha's agankara

Once Deva Rishi Naradha thought that there was no one to equal him in the Bakthi of the Lord and had   agankara of this fact.    The Lord knew of that and decided to correct Naradha, so as he was free from agankara.      The Lord told Naradha, one of his steadfast devotee was living in a village and Naradha could befriend him.      As told by the Lord, Naradha went to the village and met the peasant.   Naradha saw that the peasant uttering the words "Sri Hari" once while getting up in the morning.    Then he would take his yoke and go to the field for plowing.   He would return to the house only late evening and just before going to bed in the night will again utter the words "Sri Hari" once and retire to bed.   Naradha was watching for the whole day what the peasant was doing.      Then he thought how the villager could be a great devotee.   There were no signs to show that he spent his time towards Bakthi and was only doing worldly works throughout.   This assessment was told by Naradha to the Lord, on return from the village.   The Lord after hearing that told naradha  to come round the city with a fully filled oil cup and asked him to return without spilling even a drop of oil.  On return of Naradha, the Lord asked him while going round with oil cup how many times did he think of the Lord?     Naradha replied -"Lord, how can I think of you, when my mind was concentrating to take the oil cup without spilling?    Then I could not think of anything".    God then told Naradha "see that peasant with all the family problems on his head, never failed to call me out twice in a day.   That was the devotion he had towards me".

Bhagavan Ramakrishna's short stories - Frog in the well

BHAGAVAN RAMAKRISHNA'S SHORT STORIES

Frog in the well

A frog was born in a well and also grew up there.   One day, a frog from the sea came jumped into the well.  The frog in the well seeing an intruder asked where from the frog has come.   It replied that it had come from a sea.   The frog from the well asked the intruder also how big was the sea?    "Very big", answered the sea frog.   The frog from the well spread the legs widely and asked whether the sea was that big.    "No, no, it is too big",  said the sea frog.   To this, the frog in the well jumped from one end of well to the other and asked the sea frog whether the sea was that big.    The sea frog replied - Friend, how could a well be equal to that of a Sea.   It was many many times bigger than the well.  The frog in the well thought the sea frog was lying and that there can be no bigger thing than the well in this world, where it had born and lived.   The sea frog was a liar and he should be driven away from the well.
The case of a person without a broad mind also is like this only.       He thinks his views and experiences are the best in the world and is not prepared to hear the other persons view, thinking they would not have had the best of experiences like him.

Bhagavan Ramakrishna's short stories - Kanda Karnan

BHAVAN RAMAKRISHNA'S SHORT STORIES
 
KANDA KARNAN (Bells on earlobes)

When it comes to Religion, one should not behave like a 'kanda karnan'.       An individual was praying Lord Siva with full devotion.     But the same time he also talked ill of all other Gods.   One day, Lord Siva appeared before him during the prayers and told until you stop talking ill of other Gods, he cannot get his blessings.   Even his Lord Siva telling him also did not change him.   He only prayed lord Siva and continued talking ill of other Gods.      The fervour with which he prayed Lord Siva, made the Lord to appear before him again.  But Lord Siva appeared as Hariharan a half siva and half vishnu form. This only made him to be partially happy, as he was not happy of the half of vishnu in Hariharan.     He offered nivethya only to the Siva half and when he lit the incense sticks, he pressed the nose on the vishun side, so that he should not have the fragrance of the incense stick.    Lord siva on seeing that told - "why are you so mad and rigid on your views, only to change you I took the form of Hariharan and all devas and devis are the same manifestation of the God.     I wanted you to understand that and took the form of hariharn.   You have failed to understand that.  For this mistake, what you have done today, you would suffer for a long time."   The Lord disappeared after that.
The devotee left for another village and started living there.    In fact, day by day, his aversion to Vishnu only grew further.   The people in the village also understood that he was a Vishnu dweshi.   The youngsters in the village knowing that, on seeing him, started chanting loudly vishnu's nama and troubled him.    To overcome this, he started to hang two bells in his ear lobes (karna) and whenever youngsters chanted Vishnu namas, he would ring the bells so as not hear them.    Because of this, he was called in the village by the name 'Kanda karnan', a person having bells in the ears.

Bhagavan Ramakrishna's short stories - Understand Vedhanta

BHAGAVAN RAMAKRISHNA'S SHORT STORIES

UNDERSTAND VEDHANTA

A sadhu living near a forest had a lot of disciples.    One day when he was preaching to the disciples told- "all things in the world were gods forms.   Understand this and pranam everything in this world".  Days rolled by after the preaching.    One day, a disciple went to the forest to fetch some firewood.   At that time, he heard a thundering noise and also noise of trees getting uprooted.   A human voice followed that - "everyone around runaway as an an elephant had turned wild and mad".    Other people around the disciple started running in all directions.    But the sadhu's disciple did not run from there.     He told in his mind the elephant was a god and he himself was a god and why should he run?     Soon the elephant came near the place of the disciple.   Looking towards the elephant, the disciple started chanting Narayana Sthuthi.     The Mahout on the elephant started shouting "run away! run away!"      The disciple did not move an inch even after hearing that.   The elephant lifted the disciple and threw him away and the disciple was injured seriously but escaped death. People from the ashram came to know of that and they reached the place and rescued the disciple and he started to come to his senses after a while.  An other disciple asked him why he did not runaway from that place before the elephant could attack him?     For that the disciple answered " all things in the world are nothing but the different forms of God as told by the guru, I thought god in elephant form is coming and hence I did not run away.    This answer by the disciple was heard by the Sadhu and he told him everything what you said was alright but the mahout on the elephant had been warning everyone and was he not a God also.   You should have given credence to the words of the mahout also a form of God,  would that not have helped to overcome the situation.         Those who are devoid of bakthi or having bakthi, having purity of thoughts or not, and those who are straight and others who do not, in all these there is the manifestation of God.   This is the truth.   But one should not have contacts with those who are impure of mind, bad people and even in times of necessity, should stop with a few words with them.    Distancing from such people is the best.

Bhagavan Ramakrishna's short stories - We are responsible

BHAGAVAN RAMAKRISHNA'S SHORT STORIES

Are we not responsible for bad things to us?

Once a brahman formed a garden and looked after that carefully and with full involvement.      A cow entered one day into the garden and completely ate the mango sapling which he loved and grew .  There was nothing left of the sapling.   The brahman on seeing the destruction of the mango sappling got angry and belted the cow.  He had beaten it so severely that the cow died, which the brahman never anticipated.   The news that the cow had been killed spread through nearby village like a wild fire.       In the presence of others, the brahman always used to project himself as a vedanthi  and hence already formed his reply if people asked him.    Even as people questioned him and telling him that killing a cow as a brahman, was a gravest mistake, he told his hand only killed the cow, and Indhra was the adidevatha for hand.   Hence Indhra was the person responsible for the death of the cow.    He posed that he was innocent and spread his view everywhere that Indhra was the cause for killing of the cow.     The news also was heard by Indhra himself.    Indhra took the form of an aged brahman and went to the garden of the brahman.
Indhra asked the brahman whose garden was that?     The brahman told the garden belonged to him.
Indhra told the garden was beautiful and that the gardener must be an efficient person.  He has planted the trees in nice row and they look beautiful he added.   To which, the brahman said that all tress and the entire garden itself had been brought to this shape, by his advise to the gardener and that he had told in detail to the gardener what to do.    Then Indhra told the path left in the garden also looked beatiful and asked whose work was that.   No doubt, the brahman told it was his handiwork.    Hearing this, Indhra with folded hands told the brahman, you are taking credit for the way the garden has been made to look beautiful and also for all other works in the garden, but why were you accusing Indhra for the death of the cow.   He asked this and disappeared.
God always is not touched by bad deeds and always remain as pure and simple.   then, why should one hold others responsible for all bad things and take credit for good ones.   We should accept that we are responsible for our bad deeds also.

Bhagavan Ramakrishna's short stories - Half baked

பகவான் ஸ்ரீராமகிருஷ்ணரின் குட்டிக்கதைகள் 

அரை குறை வேதாந்தம் 

குரு ஒருவர் ஒரு அரசனுக்கு ஒரு பெரிய உண்மையை உபதேசித்தார்.      அது "உலகம் பிரம்மமயம் " என்ற ஓர் உன்னதமான அத்வைத கொள்கையேயாகும்.   உபதேசம் பெற்ற அரசன் மிக மகிழ்ச்சியுற்றான்.    அதை அரண்மனையிலும் நிரூபிக்க வேண்டி ராணியிடம் இவ்வாறு கூறினான் - "ராணிக்கும் ராணியிடம் வேலைப்பார்க்கும் வேலைக்காரிக்கும் எந்த வேற்றுமையும் கிடையாது.  ஆகவே இனிமுதற்கொண்டு வேலைக்காரியே ராணியாக இருப்பாள்."      இதைக்கேட்டு ராணி மிக துயரமும் அதிர்ச்சியும் அடைந்தாள்.  ராணி குருவை அரண்மனைக்கு அழைத்து தன் பரிதாபகரமான நிலையை எடுத்து சொன்னாள். அவருடைய உபதேசத்தின் விபரீதத்தை சொல்லி அழுதாள்.     

குரு ராணிக்கு ஆறுதல் கூறினார்.     ராணியிடம் இன்று அரசனுக்கு உணவு பரிமாறும்போது ஒரு சட்டி மலத்தையும் கூட பரிமாறு என்று சொல்லிச் சென்றார்.      சாப்பாட்டு வேளை வந்ததும் அரசனும் குருவும் சாப்பிட உட்கார்ந்தார்கள்.      தனக்காக உணவோடு மலமும் இருப்பது கண்டு அரசன் கோபமுற்றான்.      இதைப்பார்த்த குரு வெகு சாந்தமாக அரசனிடம் "மற்ற உணவு வேறு, மலம் வேறு என்று ஏன் நினைக்கிறாய்?  உனக்கு அத்வைத ஞானம் உண்டே" என கூறினார்.     மிகுந்த கோபத்திற்குள்ளான அரசன் குருவை நீங்களே மலத்தை சாப்பிடுங்கள்!  நீர் தான் பெரிய அத்வைதி என்று பெருமை அடித்து கொள்கிறீர் என்றான்.     

குரு உடனே ஒரு பன்றி உருவம் எடுத்து மிக விருப்பத்துடன் மலம் முழுவதையும் விழுங்கிவிட்டு மீண்டும் தமது மனித உருவை எடுத்து கொண்டார்.   இதைப்பார்த்த அரசன் தனது தவறை உணர்ந்து வெட்கமுற்றான். அவனுக்கு புத்தி வந்தது. 

நடைமுறை வாழ்க்கையில் வேதாந்தத்தை எப்படி அனுஷ்டிக்க வேண்டும் என்று ஒவ்வொரு சாதகனும் புரிந்து நடக்க வேண்டும்.

Bhagavan Ramakrishna's short stories - The Ultimate's Judgement

BHAGAVAN RAMAKRISHNA'S SHORT STORIES

Judgement given by God

Outwardly actions alone do not take a man to good or bad state when the time comes.    On the other hand, according to a man's mindset the Punya and Paava  follow him until the last.  
Bhagavan Ramakrishna said "In truth, God only sees what is in the mind of an individual.    A man is not evaluated by what he does or does not OR where he is present or does not."   The story for the same as told by Sri ramakrishna was -

Two friends were going through a street.    They saw the discourse of Bhagavatha going on at one place.   A large gathering was listening to the discourse.   One of the friends, told the other, they would also join the gathering and take part in listening to the Bhagavatha.   But the second one told what would the benefit of hearing the discourse.  He said - Come with me and we would go the Dasi of the village,where we could spend the night happily.    But the first one, did not want to leave the discourse and had no intention to go to the Dasi.   He refused to go with the friend and joined the gathering listening to the discourse.  The second friend just peeped into the place of discourse and left for the dasi's house.   Though he went to the dasi's house, he did not like the atmosphere there and felt that he had done a grave mistake in not attending to the discourse.   He thought how his friend would have been listening to the discourse and would have engrossed with the thought of God.     He felt sad that he was not part of the discourse and felt what a shame it was to have come to the Dasi's house.       In reality, though the physical presence was in the dasi's house, the man's mind was fully engrossed on the discourse and not involved in the dasi's house.

It is a different way of thinking for the friend who preferred to listen the discourse and sat with the gathering.  His mind was never involved in the goings on in the bhagavatha.   He thought he had done a great mistake by not going to the dasi's house along with his friend.   He went to the extent of thinking that the discourse was a farce and some story was being told, which had been told umpteen number of times.    He felt hence he could have missed that.    He also thought how his friend would have been enjoying in the other place and felt he had missed it very badly.   His physical presence was in the place of the bhagavatha discourse but his mind was rounding around the dasi's house.

As the time passed by, both the friends breathed their last and the yama doothas came to the person who sat with the gathering to listen the discourse and took him to 'Naraga'.     Vishnu doothas took the person who had been to the dasi's house, with all the celebrations.

Though a sacred atmosphere had been created with the gathering listening to the discourse attentively, the friend who attended it, had failed to fully capitalise such a moment for his betterment.  Persons who are in prayers should keep in mind that they should not allow their minds to wander elsewhere and totally concentrate on the prayers.   The second example of the friend to the dasi's house, gives a hope to people of this sort, can also come out of it, by changing themselves and involve in thinking of the God.   Both type of people live in this world and Sri Ramakrishna has given his message through the short story that those who are in Bhakthi would have to totally surrender themselves to the ultimate and should not allow the mind to wander.
In fact he says when both the desires for women and wealth are brought under control, what else can deviate the path of Athma?

  

Bhagavan Ramakrishna's short stories - Businessman shisya

BHAGAVAN RAMAKRISHNA'S SHORT STORIES

Miserly Cloth merchant and benevolent wife

A poor Brahman had a wealthy cloth merchant as Shisya.  The cloth merchant was a miser and does not part with his wealth and even does not spend for his own household, for the basic needs easily.  Only after a lot of coaxing by the wife, he would spend for the household requirements.  
Once, the Brahman wanted to put a cover to one of the bhagavatha books he had and requested the cloth merchant to spare a small piece of cloth for the same.     The merchant replied that he felt sad that he was not able to help now and the Guru could have told earlier to him to enable him to preserve a small piece of cloth.  Presently he did not have a small piece of cloth but he would keep in mind the request and spare the cloth in due course.  The merchant also wanted the Guru to remind him of the same now and then.    The Guru was disappointed with the reply of the merchant.     The conversation between the Guru and the merchant was half heard by the cloth merchant's wife.    She sent a servant to the Brahman and asked the Brahman to come to the rear of the house.     On arrival of the Brahman, she asked him, what actually was the conversation between her husband and guru.   The brahman told the lady what had happend.    The lady asked the Brahman to go to his house without any worry informing the cloth would be at his house  the next morning.

That night, when the merchant returned home the wife asked whether the shop had been closed.   The merchant asked her why she was asking?    The wife asked the merchant to go and open the shop and bring two costlier piece of cloth.   The merchant asked her the reason for the urgency and said that he would bring the cloth asked for the next morning.   But the wife insisted she wanted immediately and hence the merchant had no other go than to go to the shop again, open  and bring the pieces of cloth.   The merchant could not tell  his wife, what he told the Guru of providing the cloth pieces later.   The brahman was only a Religious  Guru whereas the wife is the master of the house with the "thalaiyanai mantra".    If he refuses her, he would loose the peace of the house and hence did not mind going to the shop in the late part of the night.
The next morning the good lady sent the new pieces to the Brahman through a servant and also informed the Brahman to tell her of his requirements in future.
Whose real Shisya is the cloth merchant?     

Bhagavan Ramakrishna's short stories - How to live?

BHAGAVAN RAMAKRISHNA'S SHORT STORIES

How to live in this world?

Some sheperds used to send their cattle to the nearby field for grazing.  A snake in this field was scaring people who went that side and also bit some people.    Fearing this, people avoided to go this side and were cautious while going to that field.   One day a gnani was going towards the filed.  The cowherds caustioned the gnani and told him about the poisonous snake.    To which, the Gnani replied he did not fear for the snake and he knew some mantras which would help him and proceeded to go towards the field..     The cowherds did not accompany the Gnani and thought that the Ganani was putting himself in danger.

Even as the Gnani was  proceeding, the poisonous snake came with the hissing sound.  It raised it head with the hood and was approaching the Gnani.     The Gnani seeing the snake uttered the mantra he was telling to the cowherds.      Because of the power of mantra, the snake completely changed its qualities.   It came and coiled itself and lay like an earthworm at the feet of the Gnani.       He saw with the all the kindness the snake and told the snake - "Hear me.    Why are you harming everyone?  I will teach you a mantra for prayers which would enhance the Bakthi in you and which will further lead to leaving all the bad in you.  Who knows with ultimate bakthi even God may give darshan to you."   Then the Gnani taught the mantra to the snake.   The snake bowed reverently the Guru and asked the Guru to explain how to conduct itself while doing the Japa with the mantra.  The Guru replied the mantra should be uttered regularly and the snake should not harm anyone.  The snake agreed and the Guru before leaving the place said that he would meet the snake later.
The snake from then onwards, was not harming and lived without the thought of harming.    The preaching of the Guru had made a lot of difference in the snake.  As days passed by the cowherds noticed that the snake was not harming anyone and had become docile and hence decided that the snake was no more dangerous. Hence the cowherds started troubling the snake in all possible ways and throwing stones at it.   The snake did not retaliate and bore all the problems given by the cowherds and passersby.   one day, one boy pulled the snake by its tail, swirled it and hit that on the ground several times injuring it and blood was oozing profusely.    As the snake was lying still, the boys thought that the snake was  dead and left the place.     After a long time. the snake could feel the  pain and crept to its puththu (snake mound, anthills) and it could not move as it pained a lot.     During the daytime, the snake never came out fearing for its life and only in the night it used to come out in search of food.   From the days of preaching the mantra by the Guru, the snake only ate fruits, leaves etc., and somehow able to live in this world.    A year rolled by like this when the Guru again came to this place.   He enquired the cowherds about the snake and they told that the snake died long back, explaining how they killed it.   But the Gnani could not believe that as he knew that before completely attaining all the benefits, the snake would not die.   Hence he went to the same place, where he saw the snake for the first time.      He could not find the snake anywhere nearby as he searched for it.  Then he called out by the name which he had given to the snake at the time of preaching the mantra.   Hearing the call of the Guru, the snake came out of its puththu  and fell on the feet of the Guru with all reverence.      Guru could see the snake had become like a thin rope.    The Guru asked the snake how well it was.   With your blessings I am alright said the snake.  The Guru then asked why the snake had become so thin and what had happened in his absence.
The snake said that it followed the instructions of him and took only leaves and fruits etc., and that could have caused it to become thin.  The snake had completely changed with goodness personified and almost had imbibed the qualities of a Mahan.   It had completely forgotten the fact that the cowherds had almost killed it one day.      The Gnani then asked the snake to find out a reason for its predicament as food alone could not be a cause for its condition.    The snake after a while said to the Guru that on a day the boys pulled it and hit on the ground several times.   The boys do not know the change that had taken in it based on the mantra upadesa and it did not want to harm them.  The Guru noticed that the change in the snake is complete, that it did not bore any ill will towards the cowherds who had tried to kill it.    He said to the snake that how foolish it was that it was not able to protect itself.   He said that he only asked not to harm by biting and injecting the poison but it could have atleast used its hissing prowess to drive away the people trying to harm it.
Sri Ramakrishna told this story to his followers and further said that  one had to keep the wrongdoers at a distance by using fear complex, if necessary.   But only, like the poison one should not be venomous to harm others.    In worldly life, one should conduct himself in a way where both fear and respect keeps the wrongdoers away but the same time one should not do harm in the process.    The sathvis had to live keeping this in mind.

Dasi's slaves

Bhagavan Sri Ramakrishna's short stories --- Dasi's slaves

தாசியின் தாசன் 

எல்லோரும் வேலைக்கு போகும் காலமாக இருப்பதால், ஒரு ஏழை பிராமணனுக்கு வேலைக்கு போக ஆசை உண்டாயிற்று.    ஆனால் வேலை ஒன்றும் கிடைக்கவிலை.         வறுமையிலும் துன்பத்திலும் வாடினான். 

பல முறை ஒரு கம்பெனி மேனேஜெரைச் சந்தித்து தனக்கு எதாவது ஒரு வேலைக் கொடுக்கும்படி மன்றாடி கேட்டுக் கொண்டிருந்தான்.     அவரோ பல விதமாக இவனுக்கு பதில் கூறியவாறு இருந்தார்.   "நாளை வந்து பார்", "பிறகு பார்க்கலாமே" போன்ற பதில்களில் சலித்து போன அவன் தன் சிரமங்களை தன் நண்பன் ஒருவனிடம் சொல்லி வருந்தினான்.    "கால்கள் தேய ஏன் மேனேஜரை பார்க்க அலைகிறாய்? முட்டாளாக இருக்கிறாயே!    இப்பொழுதே ரோஜாரமணியிடம் போய் கெஞ்சிக் கேள்.    உன் நிலைமையை எடுத்து சொல்.  நாளைக்கே உனக்கு வேலைக் கிடைத்துவிடும் பார்"   என்று நண்பன் சொன்னான்.      ஆச்சரியம் அடைந்த ஏழைப் பிராமணன் "உண்மையாகவா சொல்கிறாய்.   அப்படியானால் நான் உடனே அவளிடம் போகிறேன்" என்று சொல்லிவிட்டு ரோஜாரமணியை பார்க்க விரைந்தான்.   அந்த அம்மையார் வேறு யாரும் இல்லை - மேலே குறிப்பிட்ட கம்பெனி மேனேஜெரின் ஆசை நாயகி தான் அவள்.   

ஏழை பிராமணன் அவளை அணுகி "தாயே! வேலை இல்லாமல் மிகவும் கஷ்டப்படுகிறேன்.  குடும்பமே பட்டினி கிடந்தது சாகக் கிடக்கிறார்கள்.    என் மீதும் என் குடும்பத்தின் மீதும் கொஞ்சம் கருணைக் காட்டுங்கள்.   தங்களை தவிர வேறு கதியே எனக்கு கிடையாது.   நீங்கள் ஒரு வார்த்தைச் சொன்னால் போதும். எனக்கு வேலைக் கிடைத்துவிடும்" என உருக்கத்தோடு சொன்னான். 

இரக்கமுற்ற ரோஜாரமணி "நான் யாரிடம் சொன்னால் வேலைக் கிடைக்கும் என்று கூறுகிறாய்" என்றாள்.     அவனோ, கம்பெனி மேனேஜரைப் பற்றி முழு விவரத்தையும் கூறினான்.   அவளும் வேலை வாங்கி தருவதாக கூறினாள்.  ஆச்சரியம் என்ன வென்றால், மறு நாள் காலையே மேனேஜரின் சேவகன் ஏழை பிராமணனிடம் வந்து வேலைக்கு வருவதற்கு கூறினான்.     ஆக அவனுக்கு வேலைக் கிடைத்து விட்டது.    மேனேஜர் இவ்வாறு தனது  மேலதிகாரிக்கு சிபாரிசுக் கடிதம் எழுதி இருந்தான். "இவன் சிறந்த தகுதிகள் பெற்றிருக்கிறான். இவனால் நிறுவனத்திற்கு ஏராளமான நன்மைகள் கிடைக்கும்.     ஆகவே இன்று முதல் வேலைக் கொடுத்திருக்கிறேன்."

உலகம் இவ்வறு பெண்ணாசையில் மயங்கி கிடக்கிறது.   மாயை என்பது என்ன?   ஆன்மீக முன்னேற்றத்திற்கு தடையாக இருக்கும் காமம் தான் அது.

Fishermen's trance and Chaitanyar

Bhagavan Ramakrishna's short stories.

Once Sri Krishna Chaitanya was in samadhi and fell in the waters of the sea.   The fishermen around saved him from the ocean with their nets.   As the nets came in contact with the Sri Krishna Chaitanya and the fishermen too were in physical contact with the net, they also started experiencing the god's presence.   They started singing and dancing in praise of the Gods and after throwing the nets in the sea, started behaving like  possessed and mad  men.   Relatives and friends of the fishermen tried to bring them back to their normal state in different ways, but could not succeed.       Hence they approached Sri Krishna Chaitanya and told about the behaviour of the fishermen after they rescued him.      After patiently hearing the miseries of the fishermen through their relatives and friends, Sri Chaitanya told them to offer these fishermen food from a Brahmin's house and they would come back to normalcy.     To the surprise of the relatives and friends of the fishermen the change came immediately.
There are some basic truths from this story.   Even men who are from a lower frame of mind and do not think of God, when they want to  reach a higher state of bliss, people around won't alllow this, and bring them to the orignial ways by any means.    Food from a brahmin should never be accepted, as they are people who serve for the humanity and food should only be offered to them.  

Bhagavan Ramakrishna's short stories Kovil Kaalai

Bhagavan Sri Ramakrishna's short stories.
TEMPLE BULL TURNS INTO BULL HAULING CART

கோவில் காளை போய் வண்டிக்காளை வந்தது  

There is a Vishnu temple by the name Govindaji in Jaipur.  The priests of the temple were Brahmacharis earlier.    So they had moral strength and courage.   Once when the King of jaipur asked these priests to come and meet him the priests did not go and insisted that the King should come and see them.    After sometime these priests got married.   After that, there was no necessity for the King to ask for the priests to come and see him.   Because, the priests themselves started coming to the palace.   They will tell the king -"We have come to Bless the Maharaja!   We have brought the flowers  bedecked to the God Vishnu.   Kindly accept these flowers."  The priests were pushed to a state that it started to be a regular thing of visiting the Maharaja afterwards.     They started having their wishes to be fulfilled by the Raja like their requests of - "Today we have started the construction of our house, the 'annaprasanam' of the child is to be performed, vidyarambha of the child, and it continued to the marriage of the ward."   Their wants increased as the family grew.   Therefore they had to visit the palace often.

Working under someone has always the necessary inherent requirements.    English education has made youngsters also to such employments, where the employers 'boot' them and they quietly suffer with that to have a family life.  A person looses his independence because of the company of a woman and further he cannot live the way he would have liked.   It is like a temple bull has now turned to haul a cart.

Bhagavan Ramakrishna's short stories Henpecked men

Bhagavan Ramakrishna's short stories.
HENPECKED MEN
Bhagavan Ramakrishna is famous for making people to understand worldly life and invoking faith in God by his short stories.    We can know how far he had understood this world and the people from the following short story told by him to a devotee of him.
Once a wealthy man came to have a darshan of Sri Ramakrishna.   He was well educated.   During the conversation with Sri Ramakrishna, he started discussing on detachment from worldly things and said that a family man can also be detached and without getting caught by the worldly things.  Sri Ramakrishna replied for that like this.
Do you know about the modern day man who never gets caught by the worldly things still being a family man?  All the matters of the house will be looked after by the wife in such a family.   Entire household will be looked after by her.    The man in that house will not have any independence in financial matters.   The reason is that he is not attached to any worldly things.    For everything, he has to depend on his wife.  Imagine, One day one poor person came to the house asking for help.   The man in that house would have told that he had to ask his wife for that.   Still when the poor man insisted for help from him, he will say come sometime later hoping he can ask his wife before telling the poor man.    He feels that poor man is really to be helped.   Later he would go inside to his wife and tell her it is better if we give Re.1/- for which she gets annoyed and tells we will give 2 annas.  He had no other go than to give only 2 annas.   Since he has no interest in worldly things, he does not insist with his wife for giving more than what she has decided.  Later, when the poor man comes he gets 2 annaas.
    Those who claim that they have no worldly interests and living in a family can only be henpecked husbands with no power to decide on any matters in life.    Still people like this think that they are good people and mahans.   Truth is they are neither.
    Sri Ramakrishna has not told this story to have a good laugh, but to seriously think on matters of life and the requirements to be totally detached from worldly inclinations.

Ramakrishna's short stories niththiya kandam poornayisu

பகவான் ராமகிரூஷ்ணரின் குட்டி கதைகள்

நித்திய கண்டம் பூர்ணாயிசு 

ஆணி மாதத்தில் ஒரு வெள்ளாடு தன் தாயுடன் துள்ளி விளையாடிக் கொண்டிருக்கிறது.  அப்போது அந்த குட்டி ஆடு தாயை பார்த்து ராஸலீலை என்னும் பண்டிகைக் காலத்தில் விசேஷமாக புஷ்ப்பிக்கும் ராஸ புஷ்பத்தை 

ஏராளமாக தின்று கொண்டாடப் போகிறேன் என்றது. அதற்கு தாய் ஆடு இவ்வாறு சொன்னது. நீ நினைப்பது சரிதான், ஆனால் நடைமுறையில் அது அவ்வளவு சுலமானது அல்ல. உனக்கு புரட்டாசி ஐப்பசி மாதங்களில் காலம்  சரியில்லை.  துர்கா பூஜாவிற்கு உன்னை யாரவது பலி கொடுத்துவிடப் போகிறார்கள்.   அந்த கண்டத்தில் இருந்து நீ தப்பினால் அடுத்து காளி பூஜை வந்து விடுகிறது.     அதிலிருந்தும் நீ தப்பினால் அதை விடவும் பெரிதாகிய ஆபத்தாக ஜகத்தாத்ரி பூஜை வரும்.  அப்போது உயிர் தப்பி பிழைத்திருக்கிற எல்லா ஆடுகளையுமே பலியிட்டு விடுவார்கள்.   அதிர்ஷ்டவசமாக நீ எல்லா கண்டங்களில் இருந்தும் தப்பி பிழைத்தால் கார்த்திகை மாதத்தில் வரும் ராஸ புஷ்ப பண்டிகையை உன் விருப்பப்படி கொண்டாடி மகிழலாம் என்று சொல்லி முடித்தது. 

தாய் ஆடு சொன்னதுபோல் நமது வாழ்நாளில் ஏற்படக்கூடிய கண்டங்களை உணர்ந்து செயல் பட வேண்டும்.    இளமையில் ஒருவன் எவ்வளவோ நினைக்கலாம்.     மனக்கோட்டைகள் கட்டலாம்.   ஆனால் இவையெல்லாம் நிறைவேறிவிடும் என்று நினைக்க கூடாது.   

  

  

Kudurumale Mahaganapathi temple

This temple is around 8 to 9 kms from Mulbagal in the road leading to Srinivasapura.    Just before reaching this temple, the Someshwara temple is ahead of it by 150 feet.  The Majestic Ganapathi is 13.5 feet height and can be seen in the picture.  The history of the temple dates back to krutha yuga.   The idol is said to have grown from a saligrama stone from Gandak river of Nepal, over the four yugas to attain to its present size.  The Hindu Trinity of Brahma, Vishnu and Siva installed this idol,  hence the name Koodadri now turned in Kudurumale.    The idol stood like that in ages, only during the period of Vijayanagar Samrajya the present temple was built around the idol.  A few families live nearby the temple who sell flowers, oil and archana items.   If you want good flowers to offer to the Gods, you should take them with you.  Only shoeflower (Chemparuththy) is available in front of the temple.  This temple with its beauitful idol should be in everyone's itinery visiting Kolar temples.

Bangaru Tirupathi Temple near Kolar

Bangaru Tirupathi temple is about 8 to 9 kms from Kotilingeswara temple in the road leading to Mulbagal.
They are 3 pictures shown.  The first one is showing gopuram, water tank etc., photo taken from inside the temple.   The second one shows the steps leading to Padmavathi temple.   The third photo was taken from outside to show the height of the hillock and atop is the Venkateswara temple.    This temple has the connection of Bhirugu Maharishi similar to Tirupathi.    The maharishi worshipped the lord here with his eye in the leg.  Hence there is nethra dharisanam here of the lord through a window with apertures.    The lord is a samll vigraha compared to tirupathi and is so beautiful, you will not like to come out of the temple.  The pradakshanam is done with a small outer praharam and the prasada laddu is sold here.   The steps  to get down is the one which leads to the ascending steps of Padmavathi thayar sannidhi again atop of another small hillock.   This idol also is small and beautiful.    The months of July-August draws larger number of visitors compared to other months.  Mulbagal is 17 kms from here and hence, the temple can be visited from Mulbagal also.

Kotilingeswara near KGF

 

Kotilingeswara temple is 110 kms from Bangalore.  To reach this place, one had to take the route to Bangarupet/KGF from NH4 when going from Bangalore.    The NH4 road after Kolar overbridge leads to this road.   Unfortunately there are no signboards upto Bangarupet.  Only when entering through BEML entrance arch, you know that you are proceeding to Bethamangla route and that signboard indicates Kotilingeswara is 10kms from the beml colony.   Kotilingeswara temple has a large car parking area and the following sannadhis are in the temple besides the 90 lakh lingas installed so for sice 1972.    Brahma with Vani, Vishnu with Sridevi and Bhoodevi and Madeshwara and Parvathi devi are all under one roof and poojas are performed regularly here.  In the same precincts, ashtalakshmi vigrahas are also installed.   Nearby is the Manjunatha shrine, which the preist says is the first linga installed in 1972.   All other lingas were installed later.   They are in the process of installing the 10 lakh lingas.  The temple does not accept yourself placing a linga purchased elsewhere.   They have their own arrangement for installing the linga of your choice. each linga prathistabanam costs Rs.4300/-.     The Vishnu temple also is in the same complex.    Annex to this complex houses the 108 feet Linga with the nandhi shown in the picture.   In the second complex is the sannidhis of Kannigaparameswari, navagraha and santhosi matha.
There are interesting temple visists nearby like the Bangaru Tirupathi, Mulbagal Veera Anjaneyar temple and Kudurumale Mahaganapathi.

Which one belongs to us in this world. Agankara and truth Bhagavan Ramakrishana

Bhagavan Ramakrishna's short story
What in this world is OURS?
A wealthy man had an assistant to look after  and administer his belongings.   A lot of the property was under the control of the assistant.   When somebody asked the assitant, about the details of the wealth he proudly used to say they belonged to him.   It had become a habit for the assistant to tell everyone who asked him about the property and in fact, he would himself without asking tell everyone very proudly about this.  The wealthy man had also a pond in his garden and had put up a board there that no one should fish in the pond.  However, one day, the assistant was fishing in the pond and the wealthy man who went by that side, saw the same.  He threw out the assistant from the job, duly making public about his activities and in front of everyone the assistant became small.   The status of the man in front of the people became so low, who was all along telling everything belonged to him.  Even some old pots he had kept with him in the wealthyman's house have to be left there and without taking them he had to go.
False pride only will lead to this that even what you possess will be lost.  But we forget that everything belongs to the God and trumpet that this is mine and this belongs to us.   May be to control this false pride only, god tests us by giving us all sufferings.

பகவான் ராமகிருஷ்ணா சொன்ன கதை 

திருடனும் சந்நியாசியும்   

சாது ஒருவர் காட்டு பாதையில் ஒரு ஓரத்தில் சமாதியில் ஆழ்ந்திருந்தார்.

அவ்வழியாக போன திருடன் ஒருவன் - "இங்கே படுத்திருக்கும் இந்த பேர்வழியும் திருடன்தான் போலிருக்கிறது.  களைத்து போய் படுத்திருக்கிறான்.  சிறிது நேரத்தில் இவனை காவலர்கள் பிடித்து கொள்ள போகிரார்கள்." என்று நினைத்து தான் தப்பித்து கொள்ள வேண்டும் என அவசரமாக ஓடி போனான்.

சிறிது நேரம் கழித்து அவ்விடத்திற்கு ஒரு குடிகாரன் வந்தான்.    அவனும் சாதுவை பார்த்தான்.    அவன் இவ்வாறு நினைத்தான்.  "சரியான குடிகரனாய் இருப்பான் போலிருக்கிறது.    மூக்கு முட்ட குடித்துவிட்டு பள்ளத்தில் கிடக்கிறான்.     இவனைப்போல் நான் தள்ளாடி விழமாட்டேன்" என பிதற்றிக்கொண்டே போனான்.  

கடைசியாக ஒரு சந்நியாசி அங்கே வந்தார்.    அவரும் சாதுவை பார்த்தார்.   

பார்த்தவுடனே யாரோ ஒரு மகான் சமாதியில் ஆழ்ந்திருக்கிறார் என்ற உண்மை புரிந்துவிட்டது.   அவர் அந்த சாதுவின் பக்கத்தில் அமர்ந்து அவரின் திருவடிகளை பற்றி இதமாக வருடத் தொடன்கினார்.   

இவ்வாறுதான் அவரவர் ஆசை, பழக்க வழக்கங்கள் உண்மையை மறைத்து விடுகின்றன. 

"மரத்தை மறைத்தது மாமத யானை." 

Worldly pleasures and Bhagavan Ramakrishna's small story

Wives of Fishermen

One day, wives of fishermen came to an evening shandy for selling the fish.  After finishing the work, the women were returning to their home.    Even as it was getting dark, suddenly heavy rain started.   The women without knowing what to do, ran towards a hut nearby.   They stood in the shelter in front of the hut.   It was the house of a flower vendor.  He is a very good man and he invited the women and asked them to stay there until the rain stops and if required to stay for the night.   It was an unexpected invitation and the women gladlly accepted the offer and stayed for the night.   The whole hut was spread by the smell of the flowers and the corner in which they had to sleep also had some flower baskets.  Due to the smell of the flowers, even after a long time after they went to bed, the women could not sleep.   Seeing this, the wife of the flower vendor asked the women whether there is any discomfort and why they are not able to sleep.  For that, one of the women answered that they do not know the reason but perhaps it may be due to the smell of the flowers.   She told she would bring the fish basket and keep it nearer to her.   All  of them brought their fish basket and sprinkled some water on it and kept it at their bedside and shortly they went to sound sleep.  They slept well until the next morning.     Longtime habits influence people to such an extent.   Those who are habituated for a particular life, to change that is difficult.  Worldly pleasures too control people like this only.   Once when people want to leave these attachments, it requires a lot of effort and mind has to accept such changes.