Thread by @MadhvaHistory

1. A 'katha' told by the elders in my childhood. Its a story of an orphan who remained unlucky even after a divine intervention tried helping him.

The reason for recollecting this story is given at the end of the thread.

Here is the story....

2. Once there was an orphan living in a hamlet all alone. Begging for alms was the only means for him to fill his tummy. He was traveling to a nearby town by traversing a frightening forest for begging.

3. Very early in his life, he once heard from a Pauranika that by chanting the name of Parama Shiva, any fear can be driven away. Orphan believed it wholeheartedly. He made it a practice of chanting "Shiva...Shiva" while crossing the dreadful forest in the morning & in evening.

4. Many years melted away like water fleeing through the fingers. Orphan became old & fragile. Even then, he didn't stop the travel & begging. More importantly, he never forgot Shiva nAma smaraNa during his crossing of the forest twice a day.

5. Orphan accrued so much of puNya on a/c of Shiva smaraNa that he caught the attention of none other than the Divine Mother Parvati. Amma was moved by the pitiful state of the orphan. She wished to make the life of this old orphan better.

6. Amma immediately appealed to Her ever blissful Swamin to bestow a bounty on the orphan such that he can lead his remaining life peacefully without begging & without traveling through the forest. But that appeal didn't materialise. Instead it was met with a silent smile.

7. Jagadamba was thoroughly surprised at Her Swamin's smile. She made an enquiry about the "non grata" status of her request. Mahashiva said "No use dEvi. That person doesn't have the yOga to enjoy the bhOga that you wish to bestow."

8. Knowing well that Her Swamin is a benevolent giver and if really wished can grant a grand bounty up on that beggar. She also knew that the Swamin is knower of the past, present & future, Yet Jagadamba insisted to fulfill her request only to witness a rejection.

9. Now, the Mother decided to do the needful all by Herself. After all She is the mAtA & mAtA means the one who knows the mind of the children beforehand. So, She created a bag filled with precious jewels & threw it in the path regularly traveled by the orphan.

10. Its sAyaM saMdhya.

As twilight started taking its effect on the visibility, the orphan was wading through the darkness that was heavily coming down on the wilder woods & was walking swiftly to quickly cross the forest. He could walk fast because he knew the path well.

11. As the orphan was fast approaching the bag filled with jewels, Parvatidevi set Her eyes on the orphan. She wanted to know how this man who accrued such a hunge amount of puNya by chanting Shiva nAma can remain a 'abhAgya?'

12. Now the orphan is just few meters away from his lucky bag. Suddenly, a brain wave hit him. He stopped in his tracks & thought "I have been traveling this path for several decades. That means I must be so acquainted that even if walked blindfold, I remain on the path!"

13. By thinking so he decided to check his skill of walking blindfold. He closed his eyes tight & started off. After few minutes in to the adventure & indulging in couple of drifts from the path here & there he thought of opening the eyes & check his skill levels.

14. He opened the eyes & looked back. Lo! he found himself standing right on the path. He just achieved an impossible feat. He walked blindfold a forest track & yet didn't loose the track. He felt proud & patted himself for the skill he mastered & moved away.

15. He was happy for the success of the adventure he did but was blissfully ignorant of what he lost. Though his Shiva nAma smaraNa brought him so close to a divine intervention but his karma wasn't ripen to reap the fruits.

'buddhi karmAnusAriNI'

16. As Parvati looked at Her divine consort in dismay, Mahashiva smiled again & said "some souls have no yOga & no bhAgya even though you & I wish to bestow."

17. Are we Hindus becoming more like that unmindful orphan of the story? Are we losing gems for colour stones? Are we, the inheritors of a great culture, shutting eyes & drifting away when "awake & arise" is the call given by the Divine?

//END//

Tweets from @AgentSaffron regarding an untoward happening in TN & @Gopanarya 's recount of Sabhaiyar Pillai's lament on cultural degeneration triggered me to tell this story from a different perspective.