Strange but true to hear about such laughable queer actions of the human beings. Let us hope we are not of that kind when go through this oft-quoted story of an old woman.
' An old woman in a village was searching for something on the ground outside of her hut. The passers by stopped for awhile and started to help in searching. Finding nothing lying on the ground they asked her about the thing she was searching for. She replied that she lost her needle. After vain efforts they again asked about the exact location where she lost it. She coolly replied that she lost it inside the hut. Now the public were puzzled and asked her instead searching for the needle inside the hut why she was on the road. She replied without hesitation that since it was dark inside the hut she was searching for the needle under the light of the lamp post on the road!'
In addition to the above we have a story from Sri Ramakrishna Paramahansa too....In the late night a villager went to his neighbour's house and knocked at the door. The neighbour opened the door and asked what was the matter. The first one said that since he had the habit of smoking cigar at odd times, he came to his house for fire to lit his cigar. The second one exclaimed that, was it not strange to seek fire outside while carrying lantern in his own hand all the way....
And now let us have another version of telling the same subject by Annamacharya in his characteristic devotional way. The sankeertana is , " Vedaki Vedaki Choppu Lettuchunu Vicharinchitini Innallu".
'O Lord ! I made an intensive search for your whereabouts in various places and at last could find you very near to me on this hill of Tirumala. Upon somebody's advice I searched for you at Tulasi gardens, in Lotus gardens, As some others advised me, I searched among your devotees singing in eulogy of you.
Some others directed me to the Solar plane (Surya loka). But can I afford to reach there? The list of suggestions is endless. Their advises about your abode varied from one learned one to another - Ksheerasagara (ocean of milk); Vaikunttham; residence in the hearts of all; this very world of his own creation; and in the pious places of yagnas. O my Lord ! when I could find you here with your consort, Almelmanga where is the necessity for me any more for searching at distant places.'
Thus, all seers are clear about this truth that instead of making futile exercises of searching for the Almighty externally, it is wise to become introvert and find Him with steadfast devotion.This is the right path of realisation, of liberation.
' An old woman in a village was searching for something on the ground outside of her hut. The passers by stopped for awhile and started to help in searching. Finding nothing lying on the ground they asked her about the thing she was searching for. She replied that she lost her needle. After vain efforts they again asked about the exact location where she lost it. She coolly replied that she lost it inside the hut. Now the public were puzzled and asked her instead searching for the needle inside the hut why she was on the road. She replied without hesitation that since it was dark inside the hut she was searching for the needle under the light of the lamp post on the road!'
In addition to the above we have a story from Sri Ramakrishna Paramahansa too....In the late night a villager went to his neighbour's house and knocked at the door. The neighbour opened the door and asked what was the matter. The first one said that since he had the habit of smoking cigar at odd times, he came to his house for fire to lit his cigar. The second one exclaimed that, was it not strange to seek fire outside while carrying lantern in his own hand all the way....
And now let us have another version of telling the same subject by Annamacharya in his characteristic devotional way. The sankeertana is , " Vedaki Vedaki Choppu Lettuchunu Vicharinchitini Innallu".
'O Lord ! I made an intensive search for your whereabouts in various places and at last could find you very near to me on this hill of Tirumala. Upon somebody's advice I searched for you at Tulasi gardens, in Lotus gardens, As some others advised me, I searched among your devotees singing in eulogy of you.
Some others directed me to the Solar plane (Surya loka). But can I afford to reach there? The list of suggestions is endless. Their advises about your abode varied from one learned one to another - Ksheerasagara (ocean of milk); Vaikunttham; residence in the hearts of all; this very world of his own creation; and in the pious places of yagnas. O my Lord ! when I could find you here with your consort, Almelmanga where is the necessity for me any more for searching at distant places.'
Thus, all seers are clear about this truth that instead of making futile exercises of searching for the Almighty externally, it is wise to become introvert and find Him with steadfast devotion.This is the right path of realisation, of liberation.
'Searching outside for needle lost in the hut'
Om Shanti!
No comments:
Post a Comment