THE COMPASSION OF THE MASTERS PART 1

Srinatha Raghavan posted a beautiful piece on fb yesterday.

The Master healed the most hopeless cases with his most uncommon cures and methods, which was at best bizarre.

He would tap his burnt cigarette ash on to the hands to the patient and tell them to to mix it in water and drink it all. Else he would take a leaf from the nearby plant and offer it to the suffering and that would miraculously heal. What ever he did, be it bizarre or otherwise, it worked.

Once a Leper came to the Master to plead his case. The followers of the Master were pretty orthodox, so they immediately took offence at the presence of the Leper and barred him from seeing the Master.

The Master was resting in his chamber when he heard the loud ruckus outside. They weren't allowing the pus ridden man inside for the fear of contamination even as he was pleading with all his heart.

The Master seeing it all from his own room, did something very strange. He picked up one of his leather slippers and threw it at the man. The Master's slippers found its mark, as it landed right on the Leper. The Master yelled from inside, "Take it and leave!"

The Leper was overjoyed at this unexpected turn of events and did as he was bade. He took the Master's slipper home and touched it every single day in deep love and devotion.

After a month a man with a shining countenance came to see the Master. He was stopped by the same followers to inquire who he was and what was the intent of his coming.

The Man with tears in his eyes said, "I have come to return the Master's slippers..."

Ah! Faith is the greatest Miracle and Faith in one's Master can even make the impossible possible.

I came across yet another wonderful episode that reveals the compassion of a master at http://community.sedona.com/letting-go-articles/4050-compassion-master.html

A senior student in a Zen monastery fell in love with a new female student in the community.

Less than a year later, this woman abruptly left the senior student for another man. The senior student was heart-broken and in terrible grief. The Zen master of the monastery came to know about this and for several months the master was sympathetic to his senior student's grief and ministered to his sorrow.

Then the master took a nine-month teaching trip to Europe and Korea. Upon his return, he spent time checking in with each of the community members.

The senior student painfully explained to the master that he was still mourning his loss. After listening to his student calmly, the master reached out into his bag and pulled out an exquisitely carved set of prayer beads as a gift. He carefully placed them in the delighted student's two hands, which he held with one of his own. Then in an instant the master raised his other hand and fiercely smacked the student across the face, shouting as he did so, "PUT HER DOWN!"

Then the master bowed and walked away. All the students standing there were in shock. But they all soon noticed that the senior student was dramatically changed by this blow.

He let go and moved on with his life.

It doesn't do you any good holding on to things which are completely beyond your control. The sooner you realize this and let go, the earlier you can get back on track as well as get on with life. Release daily. Release continuously.

This episode reminds me of how Supramania Swami brought a drastic and immediate change to the outlook and feelings of a lady who sought his help and guidance. I happened to be visiting Supramania Swami at that time when this lady walked into Swami's kudil at Thiruvannamalai, with her male relative. She broke down as she voiced her sorrow of having to go through 'hell' at the hands of her husband. Swami listened intently. I was thinking Swami, like others, would tell her to bare all the torture she was put through and pray that her husband would regret his actions and change for the better one day. But to my surprise, Swami told her in a rather harsh way, like a directive or order, to leave that man and start her life anew! Immediately upon hearing these words, she burst into a loud laughter of joy and happiness and left the premises without uttering another word. It was pretty obvious that she walked away in a state of bliss, leaving all the pain and sorrow behind.

Tavayogi Thangarasan Adigal too has been harsh with me, on several occasions. I felt hurt then, but over the years I realized that he had done me a favor. I had never sought after any gurus. The only ones I met were the visiting Swamijis at the local temples. I like everyone else would line up and get their blessings after the prayers at these temples. So you can imagine my joy when Tavayogi Thangarasan Adigal accepted my invitation to dine at my home. After a short prayer and partaking our food, I accompanied him back to his place of stay, during his visit to Malaysia then. As my nephew took to the wheels, I sat beside Tavayogi in the rear. I began to express my joy telling him that he was the very first swamiji to step into my home and that we were very grateful. Never did I expect him to come down on me so hard, telling me that I was living in illusion or maya. "You think I have something hidden behind this sadhus attire. I have nothing to offer. You should seek the source within and beyond me. He is Agathiyan!" Those words struck me down like a powerful bolt of lightning, silencing me and my nephews all the way to his place of residence at Batu Caves. I was puzzled. Did I say something wrong? I had only expressed my joy in receiving him at my home. Was that wrong?

Today I thank him for coming down so hard on me that day. I can only imagine what I would have done if he had not said those harsh words. I would have returned home to place a large portrait of him in my living room and worshiped him, rather than worship Agathiyar.

Tavayogi broke my attachment to his physical self that day.

Accepting his invitation to visit his Kallar Ashram in India, I was witness to a conversation between him and one Suresh from Thiruvannamalai. Suresh was inquiring about a single piece of Rudraksha bead that he was holding in his hands. Tavayogi explained the benefits of wearing one but at the same time cautioned him about its usage too. As Suresh left us with a resolve to wear the Rudraksha on him, Tavayogi turned to me and said, "Namakku athu yellam venda, Magane." I was taken aback on the turn around in his talk. Seeing me wear the Navaratnam gems on my ring finger, he asked me about it. I told him Supramania Swami had ask me to wear it. Again he told me that we do not need it. When I told him that I was wearing a Rasamani or solidified mercury bead on me, again he uttered the same words. I dropped wearing all those. Today I understand why he said those things. He help me overcome attachment to those peripheral things. He helped me to remain focused on what I should sought. 

The next beating I took from him was when I went overboard and started advising the devotees who came over to AVM. After listening to their problems it was only natural of my wife and me to try and solve their problems by giving solutions. But these caused problems for us, besides some results did not go well with them. I went back to Tavayogi seeking why it was happening contrary to our expectations. Tavayogi blasted me for listening on and involving myself, "Nee Yetharkku Sambantha Padukirai," he asked. "Send them to Agathiyar. Let them cry their hearts out to him." From that day forth I send them to Agathiyar.  

Today I clearly understand what Tavayogi meant when he asked me to redirect them to Agathiyar and not try to solve their problems for them.

Srinatha Raghavan has a beautiful tale to tell, that exemplifies what Tavayogi meant. 

A young man was very devoted to the Master. Even though he had never seen the Master in flesh and blood, he was deeply rooted in his faith and love for the long gone Master.

The gentleman was an IT professional and worked for a big MNC, and after work, he would go to the final resting place of the Master and meditate for a while before wading his way home.

This was his daily routine for many years and he made the Master an integral part of his life's journey. He would come and share everything with the Master, as if the silent one was listening to all his outpourings intently. In that state of devotion, he saw a vision of the Master in all glory assuring him, "All your worries are mine, now and forever. Go and live well...!"

From then on, if he didn't get a bus back home, he would pray to the Master; if his children got late from school, he would call on the Master. If something went wrong, the Master was the only quick fix solution. Thus the Master had become his very center of existence.

Once it was announced in his office that a batch of employees were to be sent to the US to acquire training from their HO. He was sure that his name would be there in the list as he was one of the top performers.

When the final list came out, to his much surprise, his name wasn't to be found there and out of sheer anger and frustration, He took it all off on the old Master and cursed him for missing this opportunity.

He stopped visiting the Master and became more aloof and cut off from his responsibilities. He took to drinking to beat the bitterness and got addicted to it.

The delegation went to the US as planned and had their training for a month or so, when tragedy struck. The twin towers which housed their offices were brought down to dust by extremists, killing every single of them and more.

When the man, back home, saw the drastic visuals on television, he felt already dead. He left everything behind and rushed to the place of his Master to seek his forgiveness. He cried and cried till there was no more tears to shed, for doubting his ever protecting Master.

That's when he heard someone whisper, "All your worries are mine, now and forever, go and live well...!!!"

~ A true incident