This series chronicles sweet experiences recounted by the devotees of HH Maharanyam Sri Sri Muralidhara Swamiji as well as some divine experiences of Sri Swamiji himself. These articles are translations from the Madhurasmaranam series that is published every month in Madhuramurali Tamil monthly magazine.
Whom to Thank – The Cane or The Guide?
Our Sri Swamiji often says, “Instead of being parochial by only looking into what something means to one, if we start exploring this wide-spread universe around us attentively, we will understand the fact that it is trying to teach us many extraordinary, good things.” If we start living with that outlook, all sounds would become Guru’s voice, wouldn’t it? Every scene that we see would teach a lesson, wouldn’t it?
Once, in Chennai, Sri Swamiji was traveling by car in a congested area around 8 am. It was a parade of vehicles with people commuting to work on one hand and students going to school on the other. The car that Sri Swamiji was riding in, stopped at a traffic signal. Sri Swamiji was keenly observing a scene happening there. Sri Swamiji asked others riding along with him to see that too. A blind, old man was trying to cross the road with his cane and a passer-by offered to help him. With utmost care, he took hold of the other end of the cane and started crossing the road. Upon crossing the road, the blind old man thanked the stranger by waving his hand. The signal changed in a few seconds. The car that Sri Swamiji was riding in also left.
Sri Swamiji: We saw a beautiful scene just now. What did we learn from this?
Devotee in the Car: Two things Swamiji. One is to help as much as possible without fail and the other is to thank the one that helps you.
Sri Swamiji: Well said! It is our duty to serve others as much as possible. We should never miss the opportunity to do so. It is a virtue to thank someone who helped one. All right, whom would you thank?
Devotee: I would thank all who have been part of laying the foundation of my life.
Sri Swamiji: Then you should only thank God.
Devotee: A doubt arises in my mind and please do not mistake me for asking this. I am just putting forth my thoughts as-is. I apologize if it is wrong. You told me to thank God. An average human being like me does not know where God is and what He is like. But my parents have nourished me since birth. My teachers in school and college have expanded my intellect. Whenever I was down, my friends were my strength and pulled me up. When I was sick, my family physician cured me. Looking at it from a different angle, I am surrounded by this wonderful world. Natural sceneries that always cheer me up… rain-bearing clouds, the sun that rises everyday, blowing breeze, birds, animals, flowers, fruits, rivers that do not dry up, and so on. My life does not exist without these! Wouldn’t it be better to thank these tangible people and things than the intangible God? Wouldn’t that be the right way?
Sri Swamiji: We are absolutely indebted to all these things. There is no contradiction there. We need to learn to live with gratitude. Who did the blind, old man thank after crossing the road? He did not know the one who helped him cross the road by holding the cane very carefully. Neither does he know where he is from nor his name. He will not be able to know what he looks like. The blind old man knows only the fact that someone is leading him forward responsibly. If we consider your logic, shouldn’t he thank his cane? That is what is familiar to him and that is what he can touch and feel. But he thanked the person, didn’t he? That is how this is too! Around us, we have a body, a family, near and dear, relatives, friends, a world full of infinite wonders. To say in short, everything including us functions because of this one Supreme Power. This is the truth. God is only directing all these after creating and sustaining them! Can we thank only the creation and fail to thank the creator? Can we just thank the cane and forget the guide who dutifully and carefully led the way?
Article originally chronicled by Dr. A Bhagyanathan, personal secretary to Sri Swamiji, in Tamil Madhuramurali Magazine May 2021 issue, Madhurasmaranam section.
Translated into English by Smt. Mangala Gowri Sridhar, Jacksonville FL
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