Tales from Jillellamudi for children – 12
Dear sweet children,
May amma bless you with the best of health and big achievements in the New year 2006!
Have you ever had a close look at a burly policeman with bushy mustache and red topee? Or, for that matter, were you ever accosted by one such when you were all alone? If so, did you care to record your impressions in the pages of your memory?
They would make a very interesting reading now for all of us. You may compare this picture with that.
In this tale you will come across a very challenging encounter Amma once had with a policeman in Bapatla when she was a mere five year old. She was then staying with CHIDAMBARARAO, a learned advocate and younger brother of her maternal grandfather. Her mother Rangamma was by then no more, and Amma moved in and beyond Bapatla with no one to care for her or enforce any semblance of discipline to ensure her security and safety.
Now let me raise the curtain. It was an evening. The sun was gradually making an enchanting disappearance into the crimson -dyed west. Amma, as usual walked alone in the street. There was at that time a big banyan tree at that place where now is located the Municipal Travellers Bungalow. Amma leisurely sat under the tree, I do not know why. It was her wont to roam about unchecked by anyone, but not without a purpose. I cannot guess what noble thoughts constantly swam in her mind.
A policeman watched Amma walking alone. We may liken him to the fisherman referred to in an earlier tale which must be unfailingly fresh in your memory. This policeman was similarly attracted by the ornaments Amma wore. He nonchalantly shouted at Amma several times from behind, taking her for granted. But she did not care a hoot to respond or even turn around, though she could make out that the fellow was anxious to demand her attention. He approached Amma from behind. She was alone, a mere tot. There was none around in the vicinity to reprove him or rescue her. There was absolutely no risk of getting caught even if she raised a hue and cried. Amma wore a beautiful ‘PULIGORU’ (an ornament adorned with tiger’s nails). His eyes fell on that particular ornament. He entered into an irrelevant conversation with Amma asking for her particulars, and proudly announcing that he was a policeman, while trying to remove the ornament. He pulled it, but could not succeed. He twisted it with all his skill, but it would not yield. He was disappointed and did not know what else to do. Amma kept quiet and silently watched his discomfiture.
At last Amma said: “Look! You will hurt your hands which I do not want you to. I will remove it and give it to you myself. That is just no problem for me. But I impose a condition. You should answer a few questions before it is yours.”
The policeman readily agreed to answer her questions. His mind was all set on the PULIGORU and he was in a hurry to possess it somehow.
Amma easily unscrewed the ornament and placed it in his hand, and covered it with her own hand. The guy was glad that it was nearly his. The stage was well set for delivery. But then she posed the following irksome questions.
AMMA Well, what actually is your job?
POLICEMAN To arrest those who commit offenses and send them to jail.
AMMA What types of offenses?
POLICEMAN: Thefts, murder etc. you cannot comprehend all these as they are too complicated for you. You are much too young for these.
AMMA If that were so, is not this a case of theft on your part? Are you free to do this? Who else is there to apprehend you? Will another policeman arrest you? Shall I presume that this is the way all policemen behave? Has the government conferred on you the freedom to commit any offense with perfect immunity and go scot-free?”
Amma spoke in a clear and assertive tone. Here again please remember she was a mere child of five, while he was a robust and aged policeman who thought he could easily bamboozle her into unquestioning submission.
He was stunned and totally taken aback. He never anticipated that he would unwittingly land himself in this awkward predicament. He however collected his wits, kept his cool, discreetly placed back the PULIGORU, admiringly lifted Amma and carried her to the police lines. He eagerly yelled out for the other colleagues from his tribe as though he discovered a precious jewel which he was anxious to place before them as a rare exhibit. In an unmistakable mood of exultation, he narrated his experience. You should really allow him immense credit for his uncommon behavior. He could have as well left the child under the tree for good and wiped out the incident from his mind as a bad dream instead of willingly exposing himself to certain criticism and ridicule from his fellow-policemen. But he preferred to spread a red carpet of wide publicity for Amma and introduce her to a larger band of admirers. You would agree with me when I say he really hid a magnanimous heart under a coarse exterior. He thus opened a ready door for his own redemption and of others too. His REDEEMER had undoubtedly arrived at the nick of time and there was no escape for him from HIM from the ordained route. His evil days were numbered.
Describing the incident, MASTAN, for that was his name. spoke in Urdu and while doing so, misstated a fact. Amma, though not conversant with Urdu, immediately pulled him up to tell them the whole truth. On hearing this, the other policemen were beside themselves with amazement and concluded that she was not a mere child but a superhuman being who misleadingly wore the cloak of a child. ANKADASU was one among them, a constable of Hindu community
That was how MASTAN (a Muslim) and ANKADASU (a Hindu) became devotees of Amma. This unexpected development brought about tremendous reformation in their life encounter with Amma.
The two policemen thereafter met Amma as frequently as possible. They totally submitted themselves to Amma’s teaching that they should not speak untruth or commit breach of justice as enforcers of law. Amma dinner into them mincingly that HONESTY WAS GOD.
Whenever they met Amma, MASTAN would spread his upper cloth on the ground and offer ‘NAMAZ’ to Amma in the Muslim fashion. ANKADASU would prostrate himself before Amma.
One day they offered sweets to Amma as devotees do for their chosen deity. To them Amma appeared as an old woman and ate the offering. Where did the child go? They shivered in adoration and devotion and concluded that Amma was an incarnation of God who had come to grant them liberation.
ANKADASU was more fortunate. He experienced mystic visions in Amma. He wondered if those were akin to the. experiences of the immortal mother YASODA of Lord Krishna who granted her the vision of his VISWAROOPAM.
MASTAN repented that he lived an evil life, tormented his wife, betrayed his brothers and there was not a crime that he had omitted to commit. He sincerely lamented, and hoped that in the years to follow the world would recognize Amma as GOD incarnate and bathe in the tsunami of unending bliss.
Thus both MASTAN AND ANKADASU enjoyed the blessings of Amma, climbing peak by peak till they reached the Everest of Amma’s grace.
It was time now for Amma to leave them and also Bapatla. She was due to visit Mannava, her native village. Amma bade them good-bye. Ankadasu wept bitterly like a child for this painful parting with no hope of an early reunion.
Amma then gave them the following parting message.
“BLESSED FATE AWAITS ONE AND ALL IN THE END. NO NEED TO GRIEVE. NO ONE IS LOST.”
This is a great assurance of solace not only to Mastan and Ankadasu, but also to all mankind in general. Amma told the duo that the purpose of her advent was to reveal to the world that which lay unrevealed.
Referring to her name ANASUYA, AMMA elaborated that ANASUYA meant she was without a trace of ASUYA (hatred) for anyone in the whole creation, that she was an embodiment of universal love..
Permit me, children, now to ring down the curtain on this very interesting tale.