Short Story - I
R. Parthasarathy
the net in the context of how people become devotees easily.
With so much noise about Sai Baba on the net, I guess this
story will give the glimpse of our society which seeks Godmen
and finds them everywhere. There's no place like India where
you can become a holy man overnight, if you play your cards right.
I have written this story in a completely plagiarized version since
it's entirely from my memory. I read this short story long ago.
So do not expect a perfect presentation from me. It is not a line
to line translation either.
Partha sarathy
-----------------------------------------------------------------
THE HOLY MAN IN THE CROWD
(Original story by Jayakanthan)
The afternoon sun scorched his back as he turned around from his
sleep. Saliva oozed out of his mouth and dripped on the floor.
He just lifted his head and looked around himself. His thigh itched.
He reached out and scratched until he was perfectly satisfied.
The thin dog on the street watched his movements at a safe distance.
No one seemed to take notice of him. Radio blared from a nearby shop.
Bicycles whirred past on the dirt road. Somebody was unloading
goods from a cart into a grocery shop. It was, in all, a quiet
afternoon. He sat up. His eyes were reddish. He didn't seem
particularly interested in anything.
No one knew who he was and where he came from. No one cared either.
Everyone treated him like one of the garbage piles lying on the street.
They didn't bother to even look at him when he competed with street dogs
to eat from food stuff thrown on the street. He seemed calm. He
looked like a worriless man. If he smiled at anyone, no one even
looked in his direction. He also didn't care what others thought
of him or how others treated him. The village women realized his
ogling eyes when they bathed in the nearby pond, green with
years of stagnant water. He sometimes went there to drink water.
He loved exposing his interior to any woman who went by and would
smile at the sight of them cursing him. He didn't care if his clothes
were on him or not while he slept.
There were no fixed routines in his daily life. If he was hungry,
he'd seek food. If he felt itchy, he'd scratch himself. His main
passion was collecting left over beedis (tobacco) on the street.
He'd go to the shop and try to light the beedi in the lamp that
hangs on the wall, when the shop owner didn't pay attention to
him. Otherwise, the shop owner would drive him out with the same
aversion that he showed on the street dogs. He'd beg sometimes. People
didn't even know if he could talk. He was living at this place for a
long time.
It was one of those afternoons when he felt something around him.
He opened his eyes slightly and looked up. There he was standing
with all humbleness. He was looking directly at him. It was
irritating to be watched at close quarters like that.
"What are you looking at?"
"Swami," said the new fellow, "I work at that temple over there.
For years I have been searching for the truth of life. I have
seen you many times here. Last night you came to me in my dream
and offered your darshan. You commanded me to be here today. So here
I am at your service"
"What?" he thought to himself. Who is this guy? The truth of life?
I came in his dream? What for?
"How did I look in your dream?"
"Swami, there are no words to describe it. I know you are testing me.
I was overwhelmed by the aura of holiness around you. I can still
see that now. Please, accept this poor soul as your disciple. I know
that you'll guide me. In fact, your image has been coming often in
my mind for several years. Only when I saw you here sometime ago
it began to make sense. I know that you have renounced everything
and living a life that no one around will notice of. But a true
bhakta knows his master"
"Oh, my God," he thought, as he scratched his back. "Really, if I
am your master, you will do anything that I command, right?"
"Absolutely my master! anything you command is a hidden lesson for me.
It is my job to intrepret it"
"Good" he said and pondered for a while. "Can you get me a single
tea?"
The man ran immediately. In minutes he was back with a cup of tea.
He handed it carefully with all devoutness to his master.
He couldn't believe what was going on now. His hands trembled as
he picked up the tea from this disciple's hands. "Am I really
a saint?" he thought as he sipped the fresh tea. His heart filled
with joy as he had a really genuine tea in years. He looked at this
man. As soon as he looked at him, the disciple lowered his eyes to
the ground. He didn't look up.
"Why are you looking for the truth?" he asked.
The disciple was taken aback by this sudden question. "Well, there
is this drive in me which screams in my ears all the time to
go in that direction. I know that I can't get there without
any guidance. I knew long ago that God will give me a guru someday.
Today is the greatest day in my life. I am definitely blessed to
find you. Your aura drew me to this town. I began to work here
in this temple. And your aura told me `you idiot, don't you
realize I am so close to you?'. How stupid of me it is not to
realize your presence for so long?"
"Hmm.." he mumbled. He didn't say a word after that. He looked up
at his new disciple again. He was bald and fat. He must have been
in his early forties. He had a bright vibhuti strip on his forehead.
He wore ear rings. He looked clean. "I command you now to sell off
your rings. How much are they?"
"They are worth about a hundred rupees swami"
"Sell them and bring the money to me. And on the way, get me
a masala dosa, four idlis and the hot chutney from College
Cafe (pronounced cafay)"
The disciple didn't say a word. He ran immediately. "Well" thought
our man. "What have I got for myself! Someone who wants to serve
me for no cost. Why should I worry if I gave him a darshan in his
dream? As long he brings me what I want, it's alright. Let us run
the show as long as it lasts". He got up and slowly walked towards
the pond.
When he returned, the disciple was back. He had brought everything
he asked for. He gave all the money humbly to his new guru.
"I am impressed" said the guru. "You will reach the truth a lot
faster than you think. If anyone shows perfect submission to
his teacher, he reaches enlightenment quickly"
The disciple faithfully nodded his head and put his hands as though
he is worshipping him. The guru relished everything in a few
minutes. He was perfectly satisfied. "AhA" said the disciple,
as the guru burped in satisfaction. Then without even be asked,
he reached down and began to massage the guru. For a moment the
guru was taken aback by shock. But he didn't want to show it. So
far, he has only the memories of being driven away by any human
being. It felt good as the disciple massaged him. People on the street
began to see this strange incident. They were getting more and
more puzzled at the sight of this. The guru wanted to impress
his disciple more.
"You see this world around you?"
"Yes master"
"Nothing is permanent. Everyone will go one day"
"Chchch.. How true?"
"That is the first realization" his voice trembled as he said that.
Though he was enjoying all this, there was a guilty feeling building
in him. He was forming a lump at his throat. The perfect devotion
of this disciple seemed to make him a lot more uncomfortable.
Something in his ears told him that he doesn't deserve all these.
Suddenly there was a feeling of sitting on a bed of nails.
"Did you say something sir?" asked the disciple obediently.
"Me, no. Nothing at all" His face began to perspire. "Well, go to
the temple today and stay there. Come tomorrow"
"Immediately sir". He left without a word. The guru felt alright,
now that this character was away from him. What's going on? The
shop keeper seemed to notice all this. Suddenly there was this
feeling of being watched by everyone. Until now, he had got used
to being ignored by all. He had grown comfortable in that feeling.
He didn't move at all from there and fell asleep. In the morning,
he was woken up by someone sweeping the floor. He looked up and saw
this disciple cleaning the place. Soon he brought a bucket full
of water and sprinkled it on the ground. The guru didn't understand
all this. The disciple ran after seeing his guru wake up. Soon
he was with some food and milk. "Take this swami, this is from
the temple"
He watched his guru eat calmly with all devotion. "I have a question
in my mind, swami? I know you are the only one who can answer that"
[To be continued..]
S. Sankarapandi
In article <55...@ogicse.ogi.edu> par...@mse.cse.ogi.edu (R. Parthasarathy) wri
tes:
>This is a short story by Jayakanthan. I decided to post it on
>the net in the context of how people become devotees easily.
>With so much noise about Sai Baba on the net, I guess this
>story will give the glimpse of our society which seeks Godmen
>and finds them everywhere. There's no place like India where
>you can become a holy man overnight, if you play your cards right.
>I have written this story in a completely plagiarized version since
>it's entirely from my memory. I read this short story long ago.
>So do not expect a perfect presentation from me. It is not a line
>to line translation either.
>
>Partha sarathy
>-----------------------------------------------------------------
> THE HOLY MAN IN THE CROWD
>
> (Original story by Jayakanthan)
>
That was a timely post. Congrats Mr.Parthasarathy ! I have seen many
such swamis and temples back home. Seeing many educated souls in this net too,
I think it is not a bad idea to become a Swami :-)
Thanks for posting Jeyakanthan's short story.
--
S. Sankarapandi
ssan...@magnus.acs.ohio-state.edu
M. Sundaramoorthy
>the net in the context of how people become devotees easily.
>With so much noise about Sai Baba on the net, I guess this
>story will give the glimpse of our society which seeks Godmen
>and finds them everywhere. There's no place like India where
>you can become a holy man overnight, if you play your cards right.
>I have written this story in a completely plagiarized version since
>it's entirely from my memory. I read this short story long ago.
>So do not expect a perfect presentation from me. It is not a line
>to line translation either.
>
>Partha sarathy
Thanks for the well presented story.
The underlined lines bring back the memories of my school days
about two Godmen, one successful and the utter flop in our place.
The successful godman is none other than the Balamuruganadimai,
of Rathngiri Murugan Temple in North Arcot district, on
Vellore-Arcot Road.
He was a clerical staff member of Vellore Electricity Corporation,
before he became Swamy. He was originally from a village, Kizh
Minnal, near Rathangiri. One fine evening, he climbed the Rathangiri
hills and sat in a small ruined temple in meditation. The
villagers, who never cared the temple saw one day a blinking
light on the hill top. He became Swamy of that small temple, after
he was 'enlightened' and transformed that into an important land mark
in the district. He named himself 'Balamuruganadimai' ( I forgot his
'poorvaasirama peyar') and became a Mouna Saamiyar. He used answere
the questions of the devotees by writing on a slate. Slowly it
became a poor-man's Tiruttani, who could not afford to spend to go to
far away Tiruttani on Krithigai days and Kaavadi festivals. His fame
and the temple grew parallely. As the crowd started flocking the
temple, a Police outpost was set up at foot of the hills. And there
was a big construction to expand the temple. It seems there was
money laundering by the Swamy and the police were watching this.
One day, sometime during mid-70s, a policeman was found dead in
in a pool of blood in the temple complex. The 'Super Policeman' of
TN, Walter Devaram was DSP of Vellore and he arrested the alleged
murderer, Sampangi, who was a mason and also a close confident of
the Swamy. On his information, Devaram took the Swamy to Court
and made him to speak after the medical examination proved that he could
speak and ( allegedly after beating him). Vellore court sentenced
Sampangi to death (which was reduced to life imprisonment by Madras
high court), but aquitted the Swamy. However, he became infamous
after this episode, became a metaphor for cheat and the temple
almost went out of business. He kept a low profile for a couple of
years till the memory of the public faded ( to be precise, till
Dina thandhi stopped publishing any more stories reagarding the
murder case). He resurrected and the temple again flourished in
much larger scale than before. The festivals were celebrated with
much fanfare, with concerts of Sirgazhi, KB Sundarambal etc.
And now, there is an hospital, Kalyana mandapam etc. at the foot
of the hill. All the buses from Vellore to Arcot, detour via the
temple now.
In another village, a milk vendor, Murugan announced that Lord
Murugan came in his dream and a Murugan idol appeared in his house in
the same night. From the next morning, he stopped selling milk, sported
long hair and beard, and with a rudharaatcha maalai, vibhoothi etc,
became a Swamy of his house turned temple. People from the sorrounding
villages started flocking for a couple of weeks. For an unknown reason
it beacame unpopular very soon and Murugan was back to milk
vending after an unsuccessful bid to become a Swamy.
M. Sundaramoorthy
sun...@indigo1.hsis.uci.edu
P.S: This is recollected from my memory, whose sources were Dinathandhi
and hearsay. Don't ask for the 'first hand' proof. If you have
anything that proves otherwise please, post.
Suresh Arunachalam
Vannakam,
The story has a striking resemblance with a real life story(I have a
strong feeling that the crux of the story is essentially lifted from
this one). Some of the netters may know him and some of them may
be his devotee too. If my article is going to hurt in any way then I
I am sorry.
The guy I am reffering to is Yogi Ramsuratkumar and he was bestowed with
a sobriquet "vissiri samiar".The delineation of the story's swami fits
our Yogi. He too went around streets in ragged vesture, eats with dogs
and inhales nicotine.
I am not sure when and how he was acclaimed as a great saint but sure
do have what he is like. His devotees range from intellectuals to businessmen
to scientists to musicians. To name a few, Writer Balakumaran, Ex VC of
Pondicherry University Venkatasubramanian , Illaraja and Nutrine & co
chairman Reddy(He has an MS in chemical engg from stanford).
Yogi's gurus are three persons(now they are called as Three great fathers
or the trinity factor, lifted straight from Christian philosophy; btw,
somebody was pointing out that Jesus was Son of God and not God, Incidentally,
Jesus, his father and the holy spirit are all the same and this is what
they refer as trinity factor). I forget two of them but the third one is
the great Ramana Maharishi.
Our Yogi got a house for himself, thanks largely to a congressman who promply
used his name in the following election with a full page ad. He was later
banished from entering Yogi's house by Yogi as a form of castigation.
Ofcourse, he was allowed inside again after he sat through the entire day
in front of the house and on the street.
Coming to my experience, I was introduced to him by my friend who happens
to be a self proclaimed sadhu and runs a spritual organization. His works
and organization have already been introduced in the net by another netter.
As I was quite young(I was in my final year B.E) and with bubbling enthusiasm,
I proposed the idea of starting a Youth association in his name(this I did
without even meeting him ). So, The next day I went to Thiruvanmallai with
my friend to meet him and ask permission to start an association on his
name. Legend:-) has it that he never gives any kind of laxity to use
his name for any purpose.
Yes, He appeared just like a sage as he had flowing beard and lenghty shag
with a pile of clothes on him. There were many others getting his darshan,
He speaks only in English and he is quite fluent in it(later inquiry revealed
that he was an engineer from Rajasthan). He allows visitors only after
9.00 am , by that time he peruses 'THE HINDU' and allset for devotees.
He talks about sports, politics and science and NOTHING MORE. He sometimes
chants "ram ram jai ram jai jai ram" and everyone should follow suit.
After 45 minutes, slowly my friend egged me to propose the idea. lo and
behold, he accepted and gave his blessings. You guessed it right, I was
considered now as a hero in the wake of my achievement??. We promptly started
this by inviting some of his American disciples(15 persons came from US and
they have there own community called as Hohm ('la Koresh) in Arizona). Please
don't ask me how they became his devotee. Incidentally, I was the founder
Genreral Sec and the president was the then HOD of Vivekananda college
Philosophy dept. As a Gen Sec, I had to give a speech and did that by
blabbering something from Bhagavat Gita and something from Bible which I
promptly took from some book and infact gave an explanation to my dress(I was
wearing a Jeans and a T-shirt) such as "Outward appearance is not important
but your inward journey is essential for any spritual life". After the meeting
even some of elderly people started calling me swami and treated me with
respect. I was embarrased.
People used to say that a dove came out of Yogi's picture and many such
humbuck. Slowly, reality dawned on me that all such things were obviously to
make fast bucks as I was a witness to many funds from prominent personalities.
I slowly came of this never raised anything since there was nothing illegal
which went on except exploitation of innocent and rich devotees. Today,
the association is thriving and it has branched into many.
I invite any experiences or discussions on this topic. Btw, Ramanamaharishi
is supposed to be a silent sage but do anybody know how he became so popular
and where in the world from those teachings came into being.
--
Suresh Arunachalam phone:(713)743-9156
Dept of Computer Sceince.
University of Houston