THE LORD’S DEVOTEES

Ananyaashcintayanto maam ye janaah paryupaasate Teshaam nityaabhiyuktaanaam yoga-kshemam vahaamy aham

Srimad Bhagvad-Gita Chapter 9 Verse 22

But those who worship Me with devotion, meditating on My transcendental form to them I carry what they lack and preserve what they have.

Arjunacharya was a simple man who lived with his wife in a tiny cottage in a little known hamlet in southern India. Every day Arjunacharya would go out and beg for alms. As his needs were few he would only visit three homes in the village and would be content with whatever was offered to him. The kind folk of these homes would happily give away a portion of their daily food to the pious Brahmin as an act of charity. Grateful for whatever he received Arjunacharya would come home and share the meal with his equally devout wife.

Arjunacharya was a learned man and spent his days in studying and transcribing the scriptures. One day he was so absorbed in writing a commentary on the holy Bhagavat Gita that he totally forgot to go out to beg for food. He was engrossed in translating verse 22 of the 9th Chapter of the holy Gita. He was in a quandary as to his choice of words. The verse read as-

Ananyaashcintayanto maam ye janaah paryupaasate Teshaam nityaabhiyuktaanaam yoga-kshemam vahaamy aham

A literal translation of the verse would read as -

“But those who always worship Me with exclusive devotion, meditating on My transcendental form to them I carry what they lack, and I preserve what they have.”

The words that caused Arjunacharya’s dilemma were “vahaamy aham” or “I carry”. The virtuous Acharya could not bear the thought of the Lord “carrying” a burden. He was very disturbed to think he might have to write this in his commentary if he was to provide a literal translation. It was incomprehensible to this meek, guileless Brahmin that his Lord, the Supreme Lord, should be relegated to such a lowly task as personally carrying our needs to us. This artless, honest and sincere devotee of the Lord believed that God “grants” us what we need out of his divine compassion. Or else God “blesses” us with boons. But personally “carrying” to us what we lack was, for Arunacharya, unthinkable.

He was in such a quandary that he forgot all about the time. Finally after a great deal of contemplation, reflection and pondering Arjunacharya decided that it was best he scratch-out those two words from the verse. Picking up his quill he put several sharp lines through the two words. Unsure of what to do next he rose from his low desk and decided to return to the holy book after a break. It was then that Arjunacharya realized that it was already late afternoon. The women folk would have cleaned and shut their kitchens and hence there seemed no point in going out to search for alms. He went to his wife and explained, “It is too late to beg for alms.”

Unperturbed his wife replied, “Unfortunately there is nothing here for me to cook. We have no grain left in the larder but I’m sure we will receive sufficient alms tomorrow.”

The Acharya’s wife too had no compunctions about missing a meal. They were accustomed to hardships. They were a couple who truly lived in the spirit of perfect equanimity no matter what the circumstances. The Acharya said, “I am going to the river to have a bath and will return shortly.”

No sooner had her husband left than two young boys appeared at the doorway of Arjunacharya’s hut. Seeing them his wife thought to herself, “Who are these young boys? They have such beautiful faces. I have never ever seen such handsome boys before.”

His wife went out to meet them. She was surprised to see them carry heavy sacks on their bare backs. She was even more surprised when they dropped the bags in her hut. “Who are you? What is this that you have brought us?” she enquired.

“We are disciples of your husband. These are the vegetables, fruits, grain and other provisions that were ordered for you,” the boys replied.

Arjunacharya’s wife could not contain her delight for she now had more than enough food to cook for several days. She thanked the two lads profusely. The boys turned to leave; it was then that she noticed several gashes across their backs. “Wait,” she cried, “what are these deep scars you both have on your backs?”

The boys turned and faced the kind lady as they spoke, “Oh, these gashes were made by your husband. He makes us work very hard and if we do not obey him he gives us severe lashes.”

Arjunacharya’s wife could not believe her ears. Her husband had always been a gentle, kind man who never ever lost his temper or even said an unkind word to her. Yet here were these two young lads who had welts on their backs and they said it was from her husband’s cruel blows. Tears welled up in her eyes and sorrowfully she said, “Please come in and let me tend to these wounds.” Gently she applied cool sandalwood paste on their backs. The application completed the boys cheerfully left.

Within a short while Arjunacharya returned home to face a very upset and sulking wife who refused to even look at him let alone talk to him. This was most unlike her because she had always been a kind, loving spouse who was never angry or even curt with him. After receiving the cold shoulder for a while the Acharya decided to ask his wife what had upset her so much that she had been ignoring him since his return home. Arjunacharya said, “My dear I have in some way angered you but I do not know what I could have done to upset you in this manner. Please tell me in what way I have wronged you and I will certainly make amends.”

His wife looked at him. There was shame, disappointment and sadness reflected in her large eyes that were brimming over with tears as she said, “Your two young disciples brought me all the food and provision that you had asked them to deliver to me. Those caring children carried the heavy loads on their backs and obeying your orders brought them to me. Neither of them said a word about how cruelly you discipline them. It was only when they turned to leave that I noticed the terrible scars from the lashes you had given them. I cannot understand what got into you that you should get so angry and treat your own disciples in this brutal manner.”

Arjunacharya hearing these words was dumbfounded. For a few minutes he could not utter a word. His wife looked at her husband and thought, “It is guilt that makes him unable to defend his actions.”

However, once he had recovered from the shock of listening to his wife’s narration of the incident that had occurred while he way away he said, “Quick take me to the sacks that the boys brought you.” As his wife pointed to a corner of their cottage tears began to roll down Arjunacharya’s cheeks as he exclaimed, “Lord, what have I done?”

Then turning to his wife he said, “You have been truly blessed my dear for those were no ordinary boys who visited you today. They were none other than Lord Krishna and his brother Balarama. They carried the load on their backs to show me that the words of the Gita tell the Truth as spoken by Lord Krishna Himself. It is not for me to alter it in any way.”

Then rushing to his desk he sat down to open Chapter 9 verse 22 of the Holy Gita. He wanted to erase the scratches that he had made on the two words “vahaamy aham”. But when he opened to the verse he found that the scratch marks had already been erased.

His wife who had been watching her husband was a little bewildered by his actions. Seeing her puzzled look Arjunacharaya said, “Now I have understood that there is no difference between Lord Krishna and the words of the Bhagavad Gita. By scratching on the verse I was created the scratches on His body. His words speak the Truth and must not be altered. Just as his words tells us He does take care of His devotees and personally carries to them what they lack.”

LIFE LESSONS

1. Like Arjunacharya and his wife, we should learn to be content with what life offers us.

2. Like Arunacharya we should spend some time in studying our scriptures.

3. Like the pious couple we should always have faith that the Lord will look after us.

4. From Arjunacharya and his wife we can learn humility and deep devotion to the Lord.

5. Finally we must always believe that the Lord cares so deeply for his devotees that he will carry to them everything they need.