A very interesting episode occurred during my school
days. Today, when I look back on it in retrospect, I see
that it shows the immaturity of a child’s thinking and the
maturity of Swami’s love! This happened when I was in my
11th standard (1998) when I had taken the combination BPC (
Bio Science, Physics and Chemistry).
The hand that holds
nothing is the hand that holds everything!
Source: aravindb1982
Before I narrate that episode, let me tell you about the
mandir lines. Everyday, we would go to the mandir (for
darshan of Bhagawan Sri Sathya Sai Baba) from the hostel in
ordered lines. And to ensure that everyone has equal chances
of getting physically close to Swami, each day different
classes would go first. For instance, if the first day, the
order of the lines was classes VIII, IX , X, XI and XII, the
next day the order would be IX, X, XI, XII, VIII and so on,
in a cycle. Sundays were special because we would go even
for the morning darshan as it was a holiday. The Sundays had
a special rotation system of its own with the cycle changing
every week! And this whole thing would be manned by
teachers.
That was fine as far as equality of classes was concerned.
But what about the order of students within a class? There
was an unwritten rule (made by the boys, of the boys and for
the boys!)- anyone who could get ready with a wash, shave
and vibhuti dot on the forehead could rush down to the
assembling point after (and only after ) the bell for lines
would ring. The order of the boys in different rows would
then get determined as 1.1, 1.2, 1.3, 2.1, 2.2, 2.3 and so
on. If anyone was not neatly shaved and washed or missed the
vibhuti dot, he would be disqualified and his position
confiscated by the next boy in the order. At times, this
would force us to go to classes after a complete wash up.
This was especially true for the post-lunch sessions on the
days when our class would be first.
On this particular day, we were having our Chemistry lab
sessions. As a class we had disappointed the teacher
concerned and he was in an irritable mood. It was also the
day when our class would be first in the lines and there was
a nervous energy all around. We were all the students of the
Science section. There were students of the Commerce section
too from our class and so our silent hope was that our class
would be let out earlier than theirs. ( You see, there were
so many levels of competition to be overcome to get first
into the lines!)
With 10 minutes to go, all of us began to automatically wash
the glassware and start winding up for the day. It was a
tough task and in the hurry to finish fast, a few beakers
cracked and broke. Needless to say, this irritated the
teacher even more. None of us have ever paid any laboratory
fees and all the chemicals and glassware are provided to us
with love by Swami. While other labs have breakage charges,
there are none in our labs. So, naturally, the least that is
expected of us is to maintain these gifts of love with care.
I too was washing away furiously in a hurry, taking care
that no glassware breaks. Finally, within a minute of the
final bell, all the glassware had been washed and arranged
in the shelves. My legs were waiting with pent up energy for
the rush to capture a front spot in the lines. As fate would
have it, the teacher began to inspect the washed glassware
and he located one beaker that had remnants of the organic
chemicals that had been used. He immediately picked it up
and asked “Whose beaker is this?”
I realized that it was mine. And I was caught between the
horns of a dilemma. Immediately the little white angel on my
right and the little red devil on my left began their
traditional conversation!
“Just keep quiet. There is no way he will find out it is
your beaker. He will get frustrated and let go.”
“No! That is not right. You know that it is yours and you
should own up. Moreover, instead of letting go, he may
punish the whole class.”
“You raise your hand now and your chance to be front in the
lines is gone! The chance to get physically near to Swami is
too great to be left for the sake of a chemical drop on a
beaker!”
“You know that the problem is not as skewed as the devil is
putting it. Remember that more than the nearness, the
dearness to Swami matters. And by following the truth, you
will please Him.”
“Satyameva Jayate (Truth alone triumphs) is a motto for the
aeons gone by. It is not relevant now.”
“Truth is for ever and it always triumphs. You speak the
truth and you will be rewarded. That is for sure. ”
“Tell me! Whose beaker is this?”, the voice thundered.
I immediately raised my hand and said, “I am sorry sir! That
is mine.”
The teacher’s eyes immediately seemed to calm down. He said,
“All can leave now.”
Even as I prepared for the sprint, he said, “Aravind. Stay
back.”
I was punished. I was given a load of glassware to wash and
then alone could I leave for the mandir. I was immediately
fraught with disappointment and sadness. It then erupted as
anger within me.
“I thought that speaking the truth will save me. It only put
me in deeper problem. Forget the front lines, I doubt
whether I will even be in time for darshan!”
As I angrily continued the washing, I failed to notice that
the teacher had punished himself too - by not going to the
mandir till I was done. I was too busy with my own
‘misfortune’ to think about him. My mind continued to speak
“This Satyameva Jayate really seems to be relevant
only for the past. I don’t care how, but if it is relevant
even in the modern times, then Swami, I want you to bless me
today. I want you to accept a handkerchief from me and smile
at me. I don’t know how you will do it but you must do it if
you want me to have faith in the truth.” I threw this as a
challenge to Him. I felt slightly happy within because I was
in a win-win situation. At a time when I was sure to be late
for darshan, if Swami were to give me that chance of
offering a handkerchief to Him, my day would be so special.
In case that did not happen, I would have no problem lying
myself out of future situations! ( There! This is what I
referred to as the immaturity of the child.)
So many things depend on His smile...
Finishing my punishment, I informed the
teacher who was still waiting patiently for me. He too
seemed sad. I felt that he deserved to miss darshan for he
had made me miss mine. ( Later, I found out that he was sad
because he felt responsible for me missing my darshan and he
was praying to Swami to wait till I arrived! Wow! The
teachers here are some magical creatures of love!)
I went to the mandir and there was no music on. I was sure
that darshan had been complete. I was shocked to find out
that for some reason, Swami had not yet arrived for darshan!
(This was very very rare those days. Swami was always on
time!) And as I walked in to the students’ area, I saw one
empty space right in the first line. How could anyone have
missed it? I asked the boy seated there whether that space
was reserved for someone and he replied in a negative. Once
again, the immature thinking set in.
“Swami wants to make it easy for Himself to prove to you the
importance of Truth. If I sit here, He will create vibhuti
for some devotee and take the handkerchief from me. I shall
not make it that easy for Him!”
Thinking thus, I gave up that space and went to sit in the
portico outside the interview room. This was a region that
was manned by two of Swami’s assistants and in case He
created vibhuti here, they would offer the kerchief to Him.
I wanted concrete proof of His response and as I did this, I
could see the little red devil snickering at the little
white angel. I felt a little guilty too, but I went ahead
with my plan.
What happened, completely bowled me over. I sat in the
portico and the darshan music began. Swami arrived and
completed His darshan rounds. He came to the portico and
began to speak to some devotee. And the end of the
two-minute interaction, He began to swirl His palm to create
vibhuti. He gifted the vibhuti to the devotee. I was a good
3 meters away from Him. But, out of sheer instinct, I had
tugged the kerchief out of my pocket. However, I stayed put
in my place and one of the two assistants went to Swami with
a handkerchief.
Swami just looked away from him into my eyes. He smiled and
stretched out His hand seeking the kerchief in my hand. Like
a robot, I got up from my place and went to Him. I gave the
hand kerchief to Him. He wiped His hand, smiled at me and
threw the kerchief back to me. I returned to my place in a
daze.
Even as I sat, my senior beside me nudged me and said, “You
are a ‘form’ boy man! He specially wanted you. Did you have
some sort of a prayer-deal with Him?”
What could I say? I realized that a win-win situation for me
was also a win-win situation for Him. His love is such that
He wins if I win. One thing is for sure. I know that Truth
Always Triumphs.
source:
http://aravindb1982.hubpages.com/hub/Satyameva-Jayate-Truth-alone-triumphs
|
