Panduranga - 21

Monday, March 17, 2014

Thukkaram - 5
      Radhekrishna! The Lord's leelas are unpredictable. He takes the jeevan to the pinnacle of luxury at a time and all of a sudden will take him down to the lowest level of poverty. There is a reason behind his every leela. We might wonder why things happen in a strange way. But only He knows the real reason behind all that. But what ever level He places us the grace is there for sure. Only we have to realise that. 
        Last issue we saw Thukkaram going out with some merchants for doing some grain business. All his friends left him midway and went away. He found himself alone in the dense forest. But he was not at all afraid and kept chanting vital vital. In the darkness somehow his bullock cart fell into a pit and one bull died. A sack of grain fell into the pit. Alone he was not able to recover everything from the pit. His only resort was the Lord and so kept crying out to Panduranga loudly. Actually only the Lord can come to our rescue when all other ways are closed before us. 
         Hearing Thukkaram's pleas a man walked in from nowhere. He asked Thukkaram why he was crying out. Thukkaram was taken by surprise by his sudden appearance and asked him who he was. The stranger replied he was a passerby who heard Thukkaram's cries in distress. Thukkaram told him his predicament and asked his help. The man single handedly pulled out the sack of grain from the pit and put it on the cart. He tied the remaining bull to the cart and asked him to proceed. Thukkaram requested him to accompany him. He agreed and gave him company. They reached the banks of Indrayani river. 
       The heavy rains were slashing down and the river was flowing spuriously. Thukkaram was shocked at its fury and wondered how to cross the river. The man said He is familiar with the place and told him there was a high sand mount somewhere forward through which they could cross the river. He took Thukkaram to a place,  told him to be confident and lead the way forward in to the flowing river. The water was upto Hip level only. Thukkaram followed him closely behind chanting the Lord's name. There was utter darkness which was broken by intermittent lighting. Suddenly the sky burst with a lout sound and powerful light. In the light Thukkaram could clearly see the man who was leading him. He could clearly see His both hands carrying Sankhu (the conch) and Chakra (the disc). Amazed at this vision Thukkaram cried out Panduranga! The darkness again engulfed them,. Three or four times Thukkaram saw in the light of the lightning the same vision. Tears were running from his eyes. They reached the otherside and Thukkaram now saw Him as an ordinary man only. He didn't say a word but took him straight to his house. 
        On reaching home Thukkaram realised that the stranger had taken him there without any instruction from Thukkaram. How did he know the way to his house he wondered. When he wanted to ask the stranger he found He had vanished. The truth struck him now. He was overwhelmed with gratitude for his Lord. He could only chant Vital Vital ! He ran madly towards the banks of the shore but could not find Him. Suddenly he saw a golden light coming out of the water and realised it was the disc - chakra. He realised he had crossed the river walking on the chakra to prevent from immersing in to the river. Immediately he fainted and fell down. After sometime he recovered and got up. Slowly he reached home and knocked at the door. Jijayi opened the door and saw him sitting on the verandah speechless. She noted the cart with the single bull with the grain sack. She realised he had not done any business and was disappointed very much. Thukkaram immersed in the grace of the Lord could not utter a word. He was not at all bothered about his loss and failure. The Lord had come to his rescue was more than anything else for him.  
      Days went on. As usual Avali was complaining that the Lord's devotees are all useless! She firmly believed that the black god had something against her, so is making her husband dance to His tunes. The days were filled with her abuses and curses. Thukkaram was getting fed up with the life. He prayed to Panduranga "Vitala ! I am tired. I cannot carry on this life forward." Again a turning point came in his life. Somehow he gathered some money and  decided to start chilli business. He took the chilli sacks and went to Kongan. He surrendered to the Lord completely and proceeded. Surrender shifts the responsibility from our shoulders to the Lord's. Then He will take care of everything. He reached Kongan and took a place in the market. 
      Could Thukkaram do the business successfully? Let us see in the next issue.  Till then keep chanting. Radhekrishna!

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