A Godly conversation with a cabwala....
On a short professional sojourn to Kumbakonam, suddenly a thought flashed. In Hindu mythology, there are 27 zodiac signs, popularly known as Nakshatras in vernacular. Everyone born is associated with a very particular Nakshatra of the day on which one is born.
Astrology, i. e., Joshya sastra also identifies the Hindu temples so specifically related to these Nakshatras. Mine is Anusha.
Kumbakonam is so spiritually charged that it has about, hold your breath, not just one but nearly 150 temples, small and big, in and around this temple town.
The cabwala, engaged by the client took me from Station to Hotel. In my sleepy mood in that chilly dawn, my mood was to reach the hotel, continue my sleep for an hour, freshen up, break fast - what a long one between previous night and this morning! - of course with a steamy, aromatic filter, my adjective will be incomplete if I don't add Kumbakonam, with all reverence, the Kumbakonam filter coffee and rush to the client's office to do the day's to-do.
The cabwala, it seemed, ought to have been informed of my return by late night train. Looked like a jolly chatterbox. In that morning as we were traversing to the hotel, he pierced into my sleepy mode.
His first shot : Sir, in the office I was told your work would be over by 4 in the evening.
Surprised at his getting my itinerary, I answered in Monosyllabic : Yes.
Relentless as he was : How do you plan the evening Sir, as your return train is only in the late night?
He was assessing my persona.
Time didn't matter. I can go on with my reading stuff, roam around, again come back to dinner, pack up and dash to station.
But the chauffeur politely reminded : Sir you haven't told what you plan to do in the evening.
My turn : Nothing particular.
He suggested : you can visit a few temples here.
It struck me I read somewhere that a temple for my star, Anusha is nearby Kumbakonam.
I narrated to him about Nakshatras and their relevant temples.
Thank God. He was just short of knowing my itinerary only and not my Nakshatra.
His missile rained again : Sir what's your Janma Nakshatra?
My monosyllabic : Anusham.
His torrential continued : Sir, you must visit Nachiar Kovil. Lord Shiva temple there is meant for your star Anusham. In your life time at the least once you must visit your Nakshatra relevant temple. You have Kal Garuda temple, there in Nachiarkoil.
Thus the plan for the evening was cast.
When we set out for Nachiarkoil, he began his wont conversation.
"Sir, have you heard of Thirumeeyachur? "
Me : Yes. The famous temple where Adi Sankara sang Lalitha Sahasranamam.
His next question startled me : "Do you believe in God? ".
What a question?!
This despite his carrying me to my Nakshatra relevant temple.
Baffled not knowing what to answer, I was still stuck at his question. The question that stunned stalwarts like Swamy Vivekananda! Who am I, a poor fellow?
He didn't wait for the answer. He went ahead to narrate a real incident.
Here goes his narration without any questions.
In Karnataka, about 30 Years ago, a devout lady has been singing Lalitha Sahasranamam from her childhood. She's about sixty. She didn't know at that time where did Adi Sankara sing this first.
On one night while she was fast asleep, in her dream a well jewelled beautiful deity appeared and asked, " you sang in my praise everyday. I love to have a silver anklet. Can you get me one? ". Shaken from the dream, the lady went restless. She went about, asking everyone where did Bhagavan Adi Sankara sing Lalitha Sahasranamam first.
For, there was no way she could google up or turn to Wikipedia to gather Info. It's Pre google, Wikipedia era. So she went from temple to temple.
And must be some good soul should have informed her about Thirumeeyachur and how to reach there and all.
The lady landed in Thirumeeyachur finally with a beautiful pair of silver anklets. Overwhelmed with the spiritual vibration, she requested the priest to adorn Lalithambike with the anklets. Taken aback the priest said there was no way he could adorn the anklets. Dismayed the lady said with firm conviction it could certainly be adorned as Ambike Herself came in the lady's dream and asked for the anklets.
The priest patiently explained to the lady, : "Amma, I am the one who have been doing Puja, abhishekam here. Ambike's idol was carved in such a way that She sits folding one leg under her."
Disappointed, halfheartedly the lady left the temple.
A few days later while doing abhishekam to the surprise of the priest abhishekam water was still trickling from the ankle of the folded leg. The priest keenly watched the place. Over the years all the abhishekam particles clogged the hole in the ankle and didn't let the water through. The particles should have loosened and given way for the water to freely flow.
And the priest called the lady back and informed her that how her dream came true. With joyful tears the Lady came all the way again from Karnataka and offered her anklets to Lalitambike.
This miracle is not anything that happened 1000s of years ago. It's quite recent.
More miracle awaited me.
I offered a tip when the chauffeur left me in station. He politely declined.
I asked for his name.
He said Dass. He never misses Sunday mass and reading Bible.
I not only took a leave off him but a leaf too. God is one and He/She is in different roopams, various Avatars.
Eashwara Allah there naam
Sabko sanmathi De Bhagavan.
