It has been exactly a week since I have been down psychologically after hearing a tragic event happened to one of our readers, a most sincere devotee of Mahaperiyava, who is living here in the US. While I am not at the liberty to elaborate the details, it won’t be an exaggeration to say that the magnitude of the tragedy that this devotee is undergoing can’t be explained in words. This family has been the most sincere devotee of Periyava – followed every bit of His teachings, following achara/anushtanams, doing so many dharmic activities / supporting it etc. I came to know that this family has been so much contributing to several periyava kainkaryam appeals that were posted in the blog – all because Periyava is everything to this family. Although I do not know this person at all – not seen her at all, talked to her only a week back – this incident has shaken me a lot – makes my chest feel heavy..I have been praying everyday to Periyava to help this family at this difficult time. That’s all we could do.
Although we all are vedantic students, understand the laws of karma etc, at times, few incidents baffle us. We feel so unconvinced when such things happen – for instance, a natural calamity, someone losing their young children. Recently, a young ghanapadigal, in his late 20s, passed away by falling from the bike – that too not in an accident situation. He got married just 6 months ago. It made all of us feel so sad and angry at swami at the same time. We are not very convinced on why this happens.
HH Vaariyar swamigal used to say “a ship is sailing in the ocean; few birds sit on the ship and soil the place; the captain of the ship comes and drives away those birds. Where will those birds go? Or where could they go in the middle of the ocean? it will fly away from the ship for short time and come back to the same ship and sit.” Swamigal used to say this to draw the analogy that we are like those birds. Even though while suffering, do not have any other choice but to fall at the feet of Parameswaran, who is none other Periyava, instead of getting at Him for the sufferings.
Let us pray Periyava to help this family to get over this situation and regain confidence for the years ahead.
I am writing this here as this blog is a temple for Mahaperiyava and praying in the temple for another devotee is the least support we could do.
Periyava charanam!
