Kubja - Inner Beauty

Young Krishna had been invited to Mathura by his uncle King Kansa. It was Krishna's first time in the city but the tales of his deeds had already spread throughout the land and the people were anxious and excited to see him. The prophecy - that Krishna would rid the world of tyrants and oppressors (especially Kansa) - was an open secret and the people rushed from their houses for a glimpse of the savior.
Everywhere he went he was assailed by people who greeted him and followed him around, adoring masses of people.

"He is so handsome, like Kamdev, the God of Desire!" The young women said. "He will be the greatest of lovers."

"He is so strong and powerful!" The men said. "He will vanquish all the wicked."

"He is the Lord himself," the sages said. "He has come to grant us liberation."

"He is so sweet, like a small child," the older ladies said. "He will fill our lives with joy."

Each of the people, according to their own hearts desires, saw in him the summation of their dreams.

But there was one who didn't rush to follow him when she saw him early that day. She stayed far behind the crowds, in the shadows, making no effort to go closer to him.

That afternoon, Krishna and his brother Balaram, after spending many hours greeting all the people, nipped down some alleyways and managed to lose the people following them. They needed a break from the crowds and, in particular, Krishna had someone he wanted to meet without everyone watching.  As he and Balaram walked down the lane, they spotted her. She was the one who had stayed in the shadows earlier, running away the moment there was a gap in the crowd.

She was young but appeared old. A hunchback, with half of her body bending forwards and one hand on her back to ease the ache, she was awkward and misshapen. Her hair was frizzy, her skin dark and mottled, and her nose was large and crooked, like a hag in a nightmare. In one hand, she carried a plate of sandalwood paste. The sweet scent of that sandalwood paste drifted down the street towards Krishna.  Krishna looked at his brother and smiled. Balaram smiled back and they strolled down the lane towards the woman.

"Sundari," Krishna called, moving to stand in her path. He had a mischievous glint in his eye.

"Sundari," he said, repeating the word that meant beautiful woman, "will you give me some of your sandalwood paste?"

The hunchback woman looked at him in affront. Then, without saying a word she tried to edge around the side and escape but Krishna moved quickly to corner her.

"Where are you going, Sundari? Not away! You have not yet given me any sandalwood."

Her face was covered in a red hot flush. Again she tried to move away. Again Krishnablocked her path.  Finally, she glared at him. "Why do you stop me?"

He gave her an innocent look. "I asked you for some sandalwood. You have not yet done me the curtsy of answering my request."

"I make this sandalwood for the king!" She snapped. "You cannot have it."

He gave her a wicked smile, so handsome he outshone the moon and the stars. "Can you not spare just a little? For me, sweet Sundari?"
Kubja looked at Krishna and her heart flipped over, as it had flipped over that morning when she'd first seen him. He was so beautiful. She'd never seen anyone so beautiful as he. She couldn't even glance at the other boy because Krishna so thoroughly commanded her gaze. "Are you not the one they call Krishna?" She asked.

"I am Krishna."

"They say you are gracious and compassionate. They say you protect the weak and destroy the wicked. That is why I never expected this cruelty from you."  He gaped at her.

 "What cruelty?" Krishna said.

 "You are cruel. You call me Sundari!" (beautiful)

 "That is what you are."

"No. I am not a sundari. I am ugly. I am a hunchback. People turn from me in horror. Little children throw stones at me. All my life I've been tormented by boys who've mocked me, never knowing how they cut me inside. But I never expected such cruelty from you, Krishna. You are supposed to be kind." Tears filled her eyes.

"Sundari," Krishna said with a tender voice. "I only spoke the truth."

"Still you mock me!"

"No, I never lie."

Shaking her head, weeping, Kubja again tried to move around him but again he blocked her.


"When I look at you," Krishna told her, "I see a lady who never covets anything. One who helps others but asks for nothing in return. I see a lady who is scorned and hurt but never thinks of getting revenge on those who hurt her. I see a lady who is unselfish, kind, free of malice. One whose heart is pure in every way. I see a beautiful woman."


Throughout his words, Kubja gazed at him, disbelieving, overwhelmed by the force of his beauty. That he would look at her, care for her, when she was nothing - she didn't understand it. "How do you know about me?" she whispered.



"I know everything about you, Kubja. I am the one who walks with you each day. I am the one who lies with you at night. I am the one who resides in your heart. And I see you. I am your Krishna, Kubja. Do you not recognize me?"

Her breath caught in her throat. "My Krishna?"

He took her hand in his. "Your Krishna."

This time when her eyes filled with tears, they were tears of joy. The feel of her hand in his, their gazes meeting, Kubja was so in love she couldn't stand it. She lifted up the plate of sandalwood paste she had made after hours and hours of grinding. In all of Mathura she made the best sandalwood which is why she was the supplier to the king. But she didn't care about the king anymore. Ever since she had seen Krishna that morning she had thought only of him. His face had been in her thoughts as she'd ground the sandalwood, his name in her mind as she'd worked tirelessly.  "I made this for you," she whispered to Krishna.  He smiled sweetly. "Will you apply it for me?"

Unable to believe that he would allow her to touch him, Kubja took some sandalwood on her fingers and smoothed the cooling paste on Krishna's forehead. It would protect him from the sun and provide a lovely woody scent throughout the day. Her hand shook as she touched his brow. He held out his arms, asking for more and she smoothed the paste over his perfect arms and shoulders and chest, cooling him. She used up all of the expensive paste she'd worked so hard to make, not thinking of anyone but Krishna.

He breathed deep, savouring the sweet smell. "Thank you," he told her. "I've never worn such lovely sandalwood. I shall never forget it."  She loved him so much. She was his Kubja. She was his slave. He was everything to her. She fell at his feet. "Lord," she said. "My Lord."

Krishna lifted her up and as she stood Kubja felt a strangeness in her body. For the first time in her life there was no pain in her back. Krishna lifted her up, up, up, until she stood just as other people did, upright, straight.

She gasped and looked down at herself. Her skin, always mottled and ugly now glowed, radiant even in the shadows. Her old worn out clothes were gone and in their stead were fine silks and jewels, glimmering and glinting up at her. Her hands were smooth and unmarked. She touched her face and felt soft skin and perfect feaures while her hair was silky and long.


"What did you do?" she gasped, looking back at Krishna.

He laughed. "I simply made your outside reflect your inside. Now everyone will see what I see."  She shook her head. "I am not worthy-"  "You are precious, my Kubja, my Sundari. You will always be precious to me."  Again she fell at his feet and again he lifted her, his strong hands on her shoulders.

But then there was a yell behind them. The crowd that had been following Krishna had spotted him and was rushing down the lane. Krishna was swept away in their exuberance but Kubja never forgot the loving look he gave her, telling her she was precious. Telling her she was beautiful.

We spend much time thinking and beautifying our physical form and we forget what truly makes us beautiful -  our character.

Kubja was beautiful. As Krishna said, she was unselfish. She helped others without expectation. She never desired bad for anyone even if they hurt her. She never coveted. That is beauty. That is what the Lord saw when he looked at her because he saw the real her.

Krishnamachari Santhanam

Chinna Katha - 15

Just Remember Him.

The Pandavas during the time of their exile once walked into the forest of Romarishi. Romarishi was a sage whose body was covered with hair and his beard was so long that it spread like a carpet into the entire area of the forest.

There was a sacred tree in that forest yielding a very special type of fruit which, once tasted by a person, would relieve him of hunger and thirst for years and years. But the fruit was not to be plucked, it was to be eaten only when it fell down on its own.

One day Dharmaraja and Draupadi chanced to come near the tree. Draupadi was very much tempted to taste that luscious big fruit hanging from the tree. She said: "Can we not take that fruit? We can all share it." Dharmaraja shot an arrow and the fruit fell on the ground. He went to take the fruit with his hand. It was so heavy that he could not move it. Dharmaraja tried to lift it with all his strength using both his hands but he could not lift it. Draupadi also tried but in vain. In the meantime, Arjuna arrived at that place. He tried to lift the fruit but could not succeed. All the three tried to lift the fruit but it would not move. The two younger brothers came and tried to lift the fruit but they too could not succeed.

Finally came the mighty hero, Bhima. He asked the others to keep away and said: "I will lift it. But even Bhima failed."

Meanwhile the hair of Romarishi which had spread all over the area, began to stir because when these six people were trampling about to lift the fruit, the strands of hair were being trodden and pulled. He realised that some one must be trying to steal the fruit. He had become furious. His long hairs started coming together and coiling round the Pandavas to tie them up.

Draupadi realised the danger and immediately prayed to Lord Krishna. Krishna appeared before them. Draupadi fell at his feet and prayed to Him for help. Krishna said: "Sister, I am helpless. Romarishi is a great sage. I reside in his heart. How can I do anything against the wishes of my devotees?" Draupadi once again pleaded: "You alone can save us, you can do anything if you wish to." Krishna said: "I will help you, but all of you should be totally silent whatever may be the situation and do exactly as I tell you." Draupadi and Pandavas promised to obey his orders. Krishna went towards Romarishi's ashram and instructed them to follow him after sometime.

In the meantime, Romarishi was so much enraged that he had actually started to walk towards the tree to curse the poachers. Just then Krishna entered the ashram. Romarishi fell at the Lotus Feet of the Lord. He was overjoyed to see Him. He said, "How fortunate am I to have you as my guest. Oh Lord! What can I do for you?" Krishna engaged him in discussing certain spiritual matters till the Pandavas arrived.
As soon as the Pandavas along with Draupadi reached the ashram, Krishna hurried towards them and fell at their feet. The Pandavas were feeling embarrassed but remembering the Lord's command, kept quiet. Seeing Krishna fall at the feet of the Pandavas, Romarishi also fell at the feet of those visitors. Then Krishna asked them to come into the ashram. He introduced them to Romarishi. He praised the virtuous Dharmaraja, valiant Arjuna and Bhima and the intelligent Nakul and Sahadeva, and above all, the devout Draupadi. Romarishi by that time totally forgot about the fruit and the poachers. Krishna informed Romarishi that the Pandavas were the people who were tempted to taste the fruit being unaware of the unique nature of the fruit. Romarishi desired to please those who could please the Lord Himself. He said: "Let them take the fruit. I would like them to have it." By eating the fruit the Pandavas were able to live without hunger for a long time.

It is difficult to understand the ways of the Divine. All that we can do is to always remember Him with love and pray with faith for His matchless grace.

Sai in Chinna katha

Chinna Katha -12

Once, Krishna pretended to be suffering from headache, intense, unbearable headache! He acted that role quite realistically. He wound warm clothes around His Head and rolled restlessly in bed. His eyes were red and He was in evident distress. The face too appeared swollen and pale. Rukminî, Satyâbhama and the other queens rushed about with all kinds of remedies and palliatives. But they were ineffective. At last, they consulted Nârada and he went into the sick room to consult Krishna Himself and find out which drug would cure Him.

Krishna directed him to bring - What do you think the drug was? - the dust of the feet of a true bhakha! In a trice, Nârada manifested himself in the presence of some celebrated bhaktas of the Lord; but, they were too humble to offer the dust of their feet to be used by their Lord as a drug!

That is also a kind of egoism: "I am low, mean, small, useless, poor, sinful, inferior" - such feelings also are egoistic; when the ego goes, you do not feel either superior or inferior. No one would give the dust wanted by the Lord; they were too worthless, they declared. Nârada came back disappointed to the sickbed. Then, Krishna asked him, "Did you try Vrindâvana where the gopîs live?" The queens laughed at the suggestion and even Nârada asked in dismay, "What do they know of bhakti?" Still, the sage had to hurry thither. When the gopîs heard He was ill and that the dust of their feet might cure Him, without a second thought they shook the dust of their feet and filled his hand with the same. By the time Nârada reached Dvârakâ, the headache had gone. It was just a fiveday drama, to teach that self-condemnation is also egoism and that the Lord's command must be obeyed without demur, by all bhaktas.


Sai in Chinna Katha.

Karma Yoga

Karma Yoga

The Bhagavat Gita says, “ Surrender the fruit of action”. Yes we agree but does the karma yogi get the fruit ? even if he has surrendered it?
The answer is Yes. Maybe he will get the beneficial fruit multi fold if he does not aspire for it. The story of Mahalakshmi goes to prove it. The ocean of milk was churned and out of it came Mahalakshmi, the mother of all auspiciousness. The devas who had studiously avoided all the other entreaties of Uchisravas and iravatha fell pray to the charm of moha incarnate and stood in line to be chosen as bridegroom. But Mahalakshmi chose Narayana as bridegroom who was totally detached and watching the entire proceeding with amusement! This is what happens to the karma yogi. He surrenders the fruit of action and the onus is on the Creator to measure and dispatch the fruits and his measure is always bountiful!!

Also love your work. That is the secret of happiness and avoiding boredom. Let us take an example. A man grows up the rank and becomes C.E.O. But he gets job dissatisfaction soon as he has learnt all that has to be learnt and gets disinterested and distant. But his wife who does the same cooking and cleaning gets about her work with a cheerful demeanor and starts every day as if it is a new routine. This is so as she does the act of cooking and cleaning lovingly and dedicates every routine to the welfare of her family.

Bhavna or feelings behind the act gives the currency the stamp for it to be valid.
That is why no amount of worshipping routine without the genuine love and aspiration for GOD will be fruitful. It will remain a routine! This also explains why inspite of various temples being destroyed in India the murthis could never be destroyed, as the murthis have their form in the hearts and the image of Rama and Krishna and the qualities they stand for could never be destroyed and the pure feelings of devotees have made the images purer. This is why Ganga can be H 2 0 or the destroyer of all sins as per the bhavna one has. If one has the remembrance of the origin of the Ganga and how it flows through the matted hair of Shiva and washing the holy feet of Narayana then one can wash his sins by bathing in the Ganges but one considers it purely as two atoms of hydrogen and one atom of oxygen he could catch a cold!

Karma yogi’s action unites him with the cosmos and this leads to cosmic consciousness. For example the simple act of watering the tulsi plant before taking food creates a bond of love between us and the lower order of nature. This simple karma makes one have a pang of empathy and love and hands stretch automatically to water the tulsi before our own mouth has a morsel of food!

Karma yogis have a great preceptor- the Lord himself. They just have to picturise the kurukshethra war and how when all the tired souls after a long and hard day’s battle have gone to rest Krishna himself would be busy untying the horses and washing and feeding them and applying medicine to their wounds. Thus he would be last to bed and first to rise because of the love of the karma of charioteer which he chose.

Repetitive action is like a Japa, and when done with feeling it becomes worship and one’s action transforms the mind and elevates the consciousness. The story of Tuladar and jajali, Sena the barber and Gora the potter goes to prove it.

All the farmers know a simple axiom- Sow deep but sow moist. Similarly the Karma yogi’s action should be based on deep faith and moistened with the love of GOD.

When mind stand united with action it is Vikarma. This is true in Bakthi as well as Karma yoga. Activity outside should be accompanied by meditation( Japa) inside. Dwell close while in austerity( Upa Vasa). When mind does not meditate outer form of austerity is a waste. Tantra must be accompanied by mantra- action by meditation! Here Swami’s 3hv principle needs to be applied. For example if body is fasting but mind is thinking of food then mind is feasting! This disparity in thought word and deed can be disastrous. Take the action of a mother stroking a child. Because of the bond of love and empathy the simple act of stroking becomes a Yoga and gives bliss to both the souls-mother and child. If a person watching it bewitched thinks if I stroke the child downwards 10 cms and repeat the same motion upwards 10cms thrice it will create bliss-How stupid it sounds? The bhavna is again the key- unless the mind is united with the action bliss can not surface.

Akarma= Vikarma+ Karma. (inaction in action). Because purity of thought creates disinterest in action or desirelessness and this in turn can make a simple act of karma as akarma. Take the action of a mother beating a child out of love for its well being. The child goes back to the mother as if nothing happened. But if we do the same??

We can not learn akarma from books . We can learn only by moving with saints and serving them. We would learn in their speech of silence all the clarity.

Whether the man who is naked or clad
Is a matter, which bothers only the other
As a mad man’s mind is not in his apparel.

So let us keep our mind unattached to the various apparels of Maya.

Remembrance

Once Arjuna was walking with Krishna by his side. Sri Krishna wanted to teach humility to his great devotee. As they were walking by Krishna showed to Arjuna a mound of flowers and mentioned casully that is from my greatest devotee! Arjuna immediately interjected-me? A question expecting an asuured answer of affirmation.

Krishna feigned surprise-You? No No. The flowers you have offered to me are over there and showed a small mound. Arjuna was miffed- then who is this devotee who had offered you so many flowers? He maybe is doing laksharchana everyday and not be riddled with protecting a nation like me. Now you can see Arjuna going on the defence.
Krishna says No on the contratry He is also a kshatriya Involved in governance just like you.

Arjuna could not take the suspense anymore. asked Krishna Who is he?
Krishna smiled sweetly and said your own brother Bhima.
Now Arjuna was even more intrigued- what Bhima? If you had mentioned Dharmaraja i could beleive but Bhima?the guy with the eternal apetite? NO way...
But still Krishna would not lie...
So as a last face saving device he asked-Krishna you mean it?
Krishna says-absolutely,every word of it..If you want go and ask Bhima.
Arjuna went to Bhima and explained the situation and asked him when you have offered these flowers to Krishna.
Bhima said in all simplicity- Oh these flowers? Whenever I pass by the hillside and see these flowers I used to be lost in its beauty and grandeure and think of Krishna and his myraid taste in creating these flowers. So i used to offer it to Krishna in my mind-as a trbute-offering what was and is originally His. Apart from this where is the time to do Pooja and all the stuff? He laughed and went off.

Now Arjna had learnt his lesson and so have we- God is not looking at the number of times we have perambualated or the number of flowers or incense we have offered or the number of mala we have rotated. What is not His which we can offer to him
Remebrance is everything.
Krishnamachari Santhanam.