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TREASURES OF WISDOM

Dr Sripada Gopalakrishna Murthy
Magazine : Matrusri English
Language : English
Volume Number : 1
Month : October
Issue Number : 5
Year : 1966

“If awareness for recognition were absent men cannot recognise even in shining light. “

– MOTHER

“RECOGNITION” means knowing that that is this. For this says Mother, the awareness for recognition is essential. It is not so much the illuminating light actually, but the awareness for recognising, that makes recognition possible. The challenge may be there, the evidence may be there, and light may also be there. But, if the awareness for recognition were absent, men would not recognise.

Sri Krishna jumped from Arjuna’s chariot, disc in hand. The armies of the Kauravas were stunned to attention. They knew that Bhishma had the boon to die only when he wished. But at the sight of Krishna advancing, disc in hand, they shouted, “Dead, Bhishma is dead.” There was the awareness in the armies that Krishna’s disc is relentless, but not the awareness that divinity alone can change a boon granted, the force behind the boon being no other than itself. So, after Krishna’s withdrawl, the armies reverted to their original belligerent plans and actions. They did not mark that it was futile to fight against an army having Krishna on its side.

All circumstances, which can aid recognition may be present, but, if that awareness for recognition were absent, recognition would not happen. Any number of examples can be cited to illustrate this truth. Scientists have been known to miss the very product they were seeking, even when it actually appeared, detectives to have failed to recognise the mischief monger in a seeming associate, and we bypass at home the very object we are seeking to locate. But this missing is no more astounding in any other field than it is in the spiritual. Hiranyakashipu sought for Vishnu to wreak vengeance on him, but could not find him anywhere. Time passed on and Prahlada added insult to his injury by doting in Vishnu. He was put to tortures by all means and methods, but always came out unscathed. “He does not know life sustaining medicines, he has nobody to help him, he is not worried by hardships. This is mysterious!” thought Hiranya, but never a single moment about the power of the Lord-the strength of all strengths. Finally, he asked Prahlada to show him Vishnu in a pillar and struck it down. Narahari appeared. In him Hiranya recognised Vishnu, the killer of his brother, but not the all pervading power. ‘How could he come out in the pillar?’ was not his question at all! That awareness was absent in him.

Parashurama vowed vengeance against the kings and killed every one he could meet in battle. He heard about Sri Rama’s exploit with Siva’s unmanageable bow, and came to destroy this rising menace. He found Rama, walked straight upto him, and gave him his own bow saying, “Draw this bow if you can, it is not rusty like the old one you bent to win a girl! The very next moment he saw Rama with the bow drawn with an arrow to shoot him down. Here was Parasurama’s challenge, and evidence, for Rama’s power. Parashurama saw that this young man could draw even his bow! But there was the other kind of awareness in him, that awareness which whispered in his ear, “Here is one who could draw your bow. Who could he be?” He could see in a a split second, and he said, “When you could draw my bow, it is certain that you are the Lord himself.” And the embodiment of hatred and arrogance begged for mercy.

Koushika recognised a spiritual superior in the housewife, but not a reproaching woman that kept him waiting overlong. Bishop Hume recognised the nature of Christ in Gandhiji, when he read in the papers about the satyaagraha in south Africa. Yogis and jnanis, who interrogated Mother to interpret her “fits” of absent-mindedness, actually got replies which were above the clouds as well as above their heads, finally put her the question, “Since how long did you have these fits?”. Pundits, who sought to demonstrate their superior scholarship, prostrated before her after an interview, but on coming out, said to their waiting chelas, “She is just a step or two above us”. The bulk of the people who throng at Jillellamudi to see her. make a request to be freed from their difficulties and go back. When awareness for recognition is absent, men cannot recognise even in shining light.

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