COMPASSION – INDEFINABLE AND INFINITE
By Mr. B. N. Narasimha Murthy
The author of the fifth and sixth volumes of Sathyam Shivam Sundaram, the biography of Bhagavan Baba, Mr. Narasimha Murthy was fortunate to come to His lotus feet as a teenager of 18 years, and since then was physically nurtured by Swami to serve in the years to come in His education mission in various important capacities. He has now lived with Bhagavan for nearly five decades and currently is the warden of the students’ hostel in the Brindavan Campus of Sri Sathya Sai University.
This is the transcript of his talk delivered on May 3, 2009 in the Divine Presence in Kodai Kanal.
I offer my humble and loving pranams at the lotus feet of our most beloved Divine Master Bhagavan Sri Sathya Sai Baba. Respected elders, my dear brothers and sisters,
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Mr. B. N. Narasimha Murthy seeking Swami's blessings before his talk |
Premaye athadu, athade premambu. Emani cheppadenu devi, athane deena parathar. Peda Kuchelu ni atukalu pidakadu - bahula bhagyam
This is one of the most beautiful and inspiring compositions of Swami Himself, and it means:
“He is Love; Love is Himself. How can I describe? Can I ever articulate the depth of His love for His devotees? After having partaken a fistful of beaten rice of the poor Kuchela is there anyone in this world who would reward him with all the wealth of the world?”
This is what the devotee Kuchela related to his wife after he returned from Dwaraka with bountiful grace from Lord Krishna, who was also his childhood friend.
Swami, the Whirlpool of Love
The same words apply to our dear Lord too. First time I came to Bhagavan when I was just 18 years old like any one of the students. Now I am nearly 65. If anybody asks me the question what is that you have understood of Swami, I would say: 'Nothing'. But only one aspect that you and I know about Him is His love; His life is a cascade of compassion.
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Swami's ways are very mysterious, most wonderful and sometimes very strange because He is not human. He is super human; He is Divine. In vain, we sometimes try to analyse His actions and words with our puny minds and hapless logic.
In one such situation when I told Him, "Swami, it is impossible to understand You!" He replied, "Who asked you to understand? Experience and enjoy!" Truly, if we do this there lies redemption for us – as individuals or as a society, and for the entire mankind.
If today the world is torn asunder by conflicts and strife, troubles and travails, it is because even when He has come as the incarnation of Love and Compassion, most of mankind has not understood this. This evening (May 3, 2009) when Swami visited a devotee's house, naturally the fortunate devotees in that house were overwhelmed. The young lady told Swami, "Swami, naaku entha anandam, entha shramateeskoni maakosam intha dooram vachchinnaru (Telugu) - You took so much trouble to come over all the way to our house; how blissful I am!”
Swami said, "Nenu vachchindede meekosu (Telugu) – The very purpose of My coming is you." This is not for that lady alone; it is for the whole of humanity.
No Reason for Love, No Season for Love
If God took upon Himself the burden of a human body in this most beautiful form, it is for the sake of mankind. When He said, "I have come for your sake" He meant I have come as the avatar for the sake of this world. Look at the ocean of people that surround Swami everywhere. Does He invite anyone? Never, but His love is so inviting and over powering.
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In my 47 years of love with Swami I have experienced many times that Love which conquers the whole world - princes to paupers, scholars to illiterate men and women. Many times I have also been a beneficiary of His boundless compassion and love; otherwise I could not have loved Him for nearly five decades.
Once a devotee submitted to Swami, “It is my merit earned in many previous lives that I have this opportunity to just sit at Your Lotus Feet!” Swami said, "First time you saw Me all the accumulated merit of all your lives was cancelled.
"After that if you are still with Me, it is My compassion, My Love. No man or woman, saint or sinner can claim that he or she deserved the divine grace that was conferred upon him or her."
Bada kamzor hai admi (Hindi) - We as human beings are very frail, it is said. If we can still love Him in spite of our priorities it is because of His compassion. Let me share with you an experience where Swami revealed Himself as an incarnation of love.
I have been a witness to hundreds of such episodes and what comes to my mind at this present time is the 60th birthday of Mr. V. Srinivasan who is here now and serves as the All India President of Sri Sathya Sai Seva Organisations. This happened about 14-15 years ago in Brindavan. Swami Himself performed this function in Trayee Brindavan.
“Shrama Kaadu Bangaaru, Prema”
Apart from all that He is, Bhagavan is also a great administrator and a meticulous manager. He arranged every one of the things required for the celebration of this 60th birthday.
He called a few of us and said, "You go with the band, receive him at his residence in the ashram and bring him to the door step of Trayee Brindavan." To another He said, "You stand here at the door and receive him.” To the third, “You take him to a peetam (a small pedestal where he was to be seated).”
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On the previous evening I was fortunate to sit at Swami's lotus feet in Trayee Brindavan. Swami was sitting as usual on the jhoola (swing).
Next to me was Mr. V. Srinivasan, very touched by Swami’s love he said, "Swami, entha shrama meeku! (Telugu) - How much trouble You are taking for my sake!” Swami then said, "Shrama kaadu bangaaru, Prema (Telugu) – Golden one, this is not trouble, it is Love”.
When Swami said this, I then quoted the Telugu song with which I began today’s talk “Premaye athadu…” And Swami’s response to this was, “Yes, that is true; that was said of Krishna.” Then I submitted, “Swami, we are also experiencing the same.”
“Yes,” Swami replied and added, “Only the time is different.” It was as if Swami was saying ‘Krishna was there 5000 years ago and today I am here. Both are one; it is the same principle of Love.’ It is this Divine Love which is spontaneous, ceaseless and causeless.
A Mother For All
I have been a witness to many wonderful episodes of His love conquering people. There are those who have not seen Him physically even once, tucked away in a tiny corner of the world, still they have a personal relationship with Him. How does this happen? The answer is simple. He is the resident of the heart of every being; He is the antharyami (indweller).
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Mr. Atal Bihari Vajpayee in front of the Brindavan campus of Sri Sathya Sai University |
Therefore we do develop this kind of unique relationship which was unheard of till now; there was no time in history when millions of people all over the world worshipped one human personality, who is their contemporary, as God. It is purely because of His all-conquering Love.
Let me recall one such incident. It was early 90s and Mr. Atal Bihari Vajpayee, who later became the prime minister of India, had come to Brindavan one morning. Swami called him for an interview and spent some time with him. We were all standing at the door of the Trayee Brindavan waiting for Him.
Finally Swami came out and He was followed by Vajpayee, who was very emotional. In the last moment when he was about to part from Swami, he held His hand and asked, "Swami, hum kabhi kabhi apke ghar aa sakte hain? (Hindi) - Can I come to Your house sometimes?” Swami spontaneously replied, "Yeh mera ghar nahin hai, tumhari maa ka ghar hai - This is not My house; it is your mother's home.” Do you need an invitation to visit your mother's house?"
Dear brothers and sisters, all of us are here because this is our mother's house. Wherever His physical presence adorns - whether it is Kodai Kanal, Prasanthi Nilayam, Brindavan, or any corner of the earth - that is our mother's home. That is why we come to Him with love and seek His help.
“Why Fear When You Are Here, Swami!”
It was such a touching experience this evening too (Swami visited a devotee’s residence). It was a house which is run only by the ladies - mother and daughter, and daughter's husband. Swami was so concerned about them; He was asking them every detail, "How are you keeping?”, “How is your business running?" And then He complimented the young lady saying, "Chaala dhairyam (so much courage)”. And her response to this was in fact the reply any devotee would give: “When You are here Swami, what is there for me to fear?”
It so happened that once Swami had gone to the airport in Prasanthi Nilayam to see a rehearsal of flying by His students just before the sports event that was to be staged on January 11 that year. One of the boys flew to a height of about 2000 feet on a para-motor and Swami was very proud. That student landed right in front of Swami and then offered Him a flower. Swami asked him, "Tumko dar nahin lagaa (Did you not fear?)” The answer again was spontaneous: “Aap hain na, Swami! (Swami, You are there!)”
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Whether it is the skies, or the earth, or the deep waters and even the other world we go to after our time is up, there also 'Aap hain na, Swami! (Are You not there, Swami!)’. That is why we have no fear.
Pure Love Knows No Distinction Between Prince and Pauper
That morning when Mr. Atal Bihari Vajpayee moved out of Trayee Brindavan, as commanded by Swami, I followed him to see him off. He was very moved and said, “Swami tells me that I am going to become the prime minister; we have less than 10 members in the parliament!" (This was in the 1990s and his party indeed had very few members in the parliament) It is recorded in the history of India that Mr. Vajpayee rose to become the prime minister of India (for a brief stint in 1996 and again for the full term of five years in 1998). It is the power of His Blessing and Grace. It is not as if His love engulfs only people in position; it overpowers even paupers.
Golden one, you were feeling sad that Swami did not come and bless you when I came out for darshan. Let me tell you why I did not come. Today is Monday, and there is rahu kalam (inauspicious time) from 7.30 to 9 a.m. I did not want to bless you for such a sacred thing like your daughter's marriage during that time. Now, I came out only for your sake.” |
Let me give you a contrasting incident. This was a great lesson for me because this happened only a month after Vajpayee's visit to Brindavan. There is a sweeper in Brindavan hostel, Mr. Ramaiah, who has been serving since its inception, and is in fact present even today. Four weeks after Vajpayee's visit he came to me with an invitation card and said, "Sir, I am performing my daughter's marriage; I seek Swami's Blessings."
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All of us very well know with Swami there is little scope for recommendation. So I said, "You have so much devotion to the Lotus Feet; Swami will surely bless you. Tomorrow morning you stand at the corner of the hostel; you are entitled to be there because you have been serving here for the last 20 years.” That is called the ‘elephant corner’ because of a figure of that animal there created in cement concrete.
So that is what he did; he stood there with his wife and daughter, holding flowers and the invitation in his hand. That morning Swami came out of Trayee Brindavan, looked at Ramaiah and then walked straight into the Sai Ramesh Hall for granting darshan to the thousands of devotees gathered there.
This was around 8 a.m. For half an hour He was with the devotees and then while returning He again just glanced at Ramaiah but walked back to Trayee Brindavan. When I returned to the hostel, Ramaiah was heart-broken. “Sir, Swami saw me, but did not bless,” he moaned. I told him, "See, at times Swami goes out in the car after interviews, so just wait here for a while." Swami had indeed called a few devotees for interview.
After about 45 minutes, the interview was over but Swami's car did not come out. Instead, Swami walked out of the Mandir! The gates were thrown open and the Lord went straight to where Ramaiah was standing. Swami took the invitation and blessed him nicely. However, that is not what is significant about this story. What is more important is what He told Ramaiah on that day:
"Bangaaru, appude dukha patnao kaada. Appudu enduku raledante, ee roju somavaaramu 7.30 to 9 a.m. rahu kalamu - taruvaatha nee kosame vachchinanu – Golden one, you were feeling sad that Swami did not come and bless you when I came out for darshan. Let me tell you why I did not come. Today is Monday, and there is rahu kalam (inauspicious time) from 7.30 to 9 a.m. I did not want to bless you for such a sacred thing like your daughter's marriage during that time. Now, I came out only for your sake.”
Whether it is the prime minister of the country or a sweeper, man or woman, child or grown up, to Swami it makes no difference.
Become Childlike To Be Liked by God
Again, this evening we were fortunate witnesses of that sweet exchange of love between that little boy and Swami. We were so touched by his innocence. That is why when someone asked Jesus Christ who is the greatest in the kingdom of God, He just walked into the street, picked up a small child with unkempt hair, flowing nose and torn clothes, and said, ‘This is the greatest in the kingdom of god’.
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The people who heard that answer were amazed. Then Jesus explained, "Whoever humbleth himself like a child shall be exalted into the kingdom of God. Whoever exalts himself shall be humbled."
On one side we saw the innocence of a 10 year old, on the other there was the Divine innocence, the ‘all-knowing innocence’. That is why Khalil Gibran who wrote the wonderful biography of Jesus Christ, “The Son of Man”, at the end of the story said, "Forgive me for beginning a story which I cannot end. The end is not yet upon my lips. It is still a love song in the wind."
After the departure of Jesus Christ when John was asked by the devotees of Jesus, ‘Tell us something of your interactions with Jesus.’ He said, "How can I blow the passion song of the world into a hollow reed?” Jesus was the passion song of the world and today Swami is the compassion song of the world!
My dear brothers and sisters, I can tell you with the authority of my humble devotion to His Lotus Feet: If anything can emancipate this troubled country and redeem this hapless world today, it is Swami's Love – His Divine Love which is beyond all religions and the ken of the human mind.
I conclude with a prayer to Swami that He blesses this strive-ridden world of the present day with peace, joy, love and harmony.
Thank you. Sai Ram.
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