Guruvayur Mahathmyam
Radhekrishna devotees! Guruvayur! – the ‘Bhooloka vaikunta’ where the Lord of the Universe Krishna resides showering his grace over all His bhakthas. Numerous are the bhakthas who have enjoyed Him as Unni Krishnan. Sri Poonthanam nampoothiri, Srimathi Kurooramma, Sri Narayana Bhattathiri, a little girl Manjula, Sri Vilvamangalam Swami are to name a few. Irrespective of period or time the flow of bhakthas for the Lord of Guruvayur never diminishes. Bhagavan is very much present here and is doing innumerable leelas. Almost all who visit Guruvayur have to recount one experience or other. So powerful is the sanctity there that the whole area is full of His vibrations. Recently we had the fortune of staying at Guruvayur for 4 days. Those 4 days we were altogether in a different world itself. We could feel Bhagavan spread around us everywhere. I take this opportunity to share some of the leelas of that great magician with every one of you.
By His grace we happened to meet a lady devotee who belongs to the place. We saw her at the western side Seeveli pura of the temple sitting on a verandah. Seeing us that lady offered abhisheka milk and malar (fried paddy corns) prasadam. We were very much delighted to receive the prasadam unexpectedly. We used to meet her daily at the same place. Daily she would offer malar, plantain and milk to us. We came to know that one of her leg was artificial. Inspite of her predicament she will come to the temple daily and spend her time inside the temple. She has nobody else but her Unnikrishnan to support her. She shared with us some of her experiences.
Once an abscess formed on her breast. She went to a local doctor who after check up referred her to Trichur Medical College saying that some surgery has to be done and that it is not very serious. She did not want to have surgery done as she had earlier experience in amputating her leg. Though the doctors said there is no problem she knew the practical difficulties involved in surgery. Moreover it meant expenditure of money too. So she was not at all in a mood to go to the doctor and decided to ignore it. But the abscess started giving pain to her. She as usual came to the temple daily and prayed to the Lord. She started applying butter which she got from the temple daily. One day she dreamt that a cute blue little baby came to her and started sucking at her breast. She was surprised to find milk flowing out of her breast. To her wonder the milk started flowing spontaneously that in a few minutes she found her dress soaked.
Suddenly she woke up with a feeling of wetness around her. Her first thought was she had urinated in her sleep. But to her dismay she found the abscess had opened by itself and all the puss and bad blood was flowing out wetting her dress. She got up and cleaned the mess. The abscees had shrunk considerably. She continued applying the butter prasadam. In a few days it disappeared.
This lady has a daughter studying for Bsc Maths in Eranakulam. She is staying in a hostel. Once it was her exam time and fees had to be remitted for the examination. She called her mother and asked her to send the money as early as possible as the last date was nearing. At that time the lady had not even a penny with her. She didnt know what to do then. She had nobody else to approach but Bhagavan. She as usual submitted the request to him. Nothing was happening. She started worrying. Now only 2 more days were left to submit the examination fee. In a fit of dejection as she was leaving the temple she told Bhagavan that she would hit her head here and die if He didnt do anything. When she reached home a neighbourhood girl came and informed her that the postman enquired about her. She ignored it as she was not in a mood to see what it was about. Then the girl’s mother came and advised her to go and enquire at the post office. May be some important thing has come she said. An auto driver whom she knew offered to take her to the post office. He parked the vehicle and went into the post office and told the postman that the lady has come and as it was difficult for her to walk she is waiting in the vehicle. The post man came to her with a money order which had necessary money. To her dismay there was no from address, or signature or anything at all. She wondered how she could repay it. But to this day nobody has claimed the money. She knew very well that it was her Unni Krishnan who afraid of her threat had sent the money immediately.
With humble pranams at the lots feet of the Lord I would now share with you one of my experience too. When we were at Guruvayur we used to have our lunch from the Brahmana Samooha matom. Generally I avoid eating outside at commercial spots like restaurants, hotels etc. as far as possible. As Guruvayur Brahmana Samooham was giving lunch free of cost for pilgrims who come from far off places I was relieved about the main meal of a day. For breakfast I could manage with bananas, and the malar prasadam which we got from the temple. We had sumptuous lunch served by the Brahmana Samooham. Once we enter the temple in the morning we used to spend the time there going out only for our meals. Afternoon when the temple closes we would also go to our rooms. Evening when the temple opens we would be ready there till dinner time. Most of the days there would be velakku with seeveli at 9-30pm.
On the day of our arrival after athazha puja at the temple we walked out for dinner. While I planned to confine my dinner with banana, biscuits etc, my husband insisted that I should have some thing heavy lest I should feel tired. Reluctantly I agreed and went to a hotel. After having dosa for dinner as we came back to the temple I casually remarked to my husband that how good it was in Tamil Nadu where in some hotels they serve food in plantain leaf over a plate. I wondered why hotels in Kerala don't follow the system. I commented it would be more hygenic. “How I wish the hotels here also serve food in the same way” I said to my husband. He teased me We reached the temple in time for vilakku.
That day we could light the lamps for the vilakku and also attend seeveli. We retired to bed with heart full of happiness. Next day also I followed the same pattern of my food. After 8pm both of us went out to the same hotel for dinner. We met a friend of us there and the three of us ordered our dinner. My husband and his friend ordered mini idlis while I ordered dosa the safe thing for me. The server brought them their idlis in plates and my dosa on a plantain leaf placed on a plate. I stared at it in disbelief. Myself and my husband exchanged meaningful glances. I looked around and nobody else in the hotel as far as I could see was served food on a plantain leaf. This was too much for me. Tears came to my eyes. I made a wow in my mind that I should never again tax my Krishna with my such silly problems. Knowing fully well that Bhagavan is doing only good for me shouldn't I accept whole heartedly what He gives me? Whatever he gives me is Krishnaprasadam only. I should never forget what my Guruji tells repeatedly. Anyway I take it that Bhagavan has beautifully taught me a lesson to accept Him smoothly.
Radhekrishna! Radhekrishna! Radhekrishna!
