Just a visitor

2/1/09

Once a devotee from a far away place came to the ashramam of  a great sage. Sage never used a bed to sleep on or never sat on a chair. The only thing he owned was a "kamandalu" to carry water. This visitor asked the sage:

 "Respected sage,  where are your pots, pans, bed and a seat or chair to sit on? I do not see anything here."

 

Sage asked: 

"Mahaan, let me ask the same question back to you. Where are your pots, pans, bed and a seat to sit on?"

 

The devotee said:

 "Guro, how can you expect me to have those? I am just a visitor."

 

Sage said:

 "Mahaan, I am also just a visitor who will stay here on earth, until this body falls after going through and exhausting all the effects of prarabdha karmas or the effects of the ripe accumulated karmas of the past."

 

Devotee realized the deep meaning contained in the words of the sage and immediately became a disciple of him.

 

At his context, let us remember the following lines from Bhagavad Gita

 

Vaasaamsi jeernaani yatha vihaaya

navaani grihnanthi naroparaani

tathaa shareeraani vihaaya jeerna-

nyanyaani samyaathi navaani dehee

വാസാംസി ജീർണാനി യഥാ വിഹായ 

നവാനി ഗൃഹ്ണാതി നരോപരാനി 

തഥാ ശരീരാണി വിഹായ ജീർണാ-

ന്യന്യാനി സംയാതി നവാനി ദേഹീ   

 

We change our clothes as they get old and torn. In the same way, our aatma changes the body when body wears out (or when prarabdha karmas are exhausted)

 

 

Sreekrishnaarpanamsthu