Pleasing God through compassion

Natarajan and his wife got down from their Honda City opposite to the big temple.They regularly visited this temple being devout and God fearing.A very rich businessman,he was a familiar figure.The moment he alighted ,the urchins in rags surrounded him pleading for alms.When he ignored them and started walking briskly towards the temple, one of the girls may be 9 years old, touched his spotless cream kurta to draw his attention.This made him furious and he raised his hand.The driver who was behind him drew the girl away.Natarajan told his wife in disgust” I hate these beggars crowding the place and making a nuisance of themselves.I will tell the Executive Officer of the temple to have them thown out by police and keep the temple free from this menace” His obedient wife nodded in agreement.The pathway to the temple was lined with beggars both men and women with children.Some were maimed,some lame,some lepers and some blind while some had small heads disproportionate to their size.These abnormal children were exhibited to invoke the sympathy of the pilgrims who thronged the temple.They appealed loudly with protruded arms often touching the passing legs for their mercy and alms.It was a pathetic sight and the devout who came to pray were often distracted and their mood made sullen.

The crowd was heavy that day and the line was long.The jostling by impatient crowd, the sweat and the body odour, and above all the cringing beggars often tugging them exasperated Natarajan. He wanted to pray quietly today seeking the blessings of the Presiding Diety for a new venture he was planning to start.He was to sign an agreement that day and he was very anxious to have a darshan of the God.There was this long line as that day happened to be auspicious.He was looking at his watch repeatedly as the crowd inched forward slowly.There was no system of paying extra money to get a quick darshan in that temple.The rich and the poor were treated alike.Natarajan was fretting at the delay and worried whether the doors of the Sanctum would be closed before his turn came.
It was then a lame man tugged the dhoti of Natarajan seeking his munificence.Natarajn lost his temper and shook his leg in anger to free himself from his clasp.It hurt the chin of the beggar who was in a crawling position.There was a trace of blood from the unintended cut.The other beggars crowded around the lame man.All the other members in the line were shocked at his boorish behaviour and murmured their protest and dissatisfaction.Natarajan told his wife without any remorse ” I had only freed my leg from his clasp.The hurt was accidental and unintended. What can I do if they block the way like this?

The line started moving fast.The hopes of a successful darshan rose in Natarajan’s heart. In a matter of a few minutes he was almost near the sanctum.The temple authorities allowed some 25 people at a time and when they came out another 25 were allowed.When people who were slightly ahead of Natarajan moved in and he hoped to get in with his wife.But unluckily just when his turn came the wicket gate was closed..Natarrajan prayed to God incessantly.In a few minutes the people who went in came out but the wicket gate was not opened.When he asked the man who was in charge of the gate, he was told that the darshan was over for the morning session due to some reason.When an official who appeared to be in some position came Natarajan asked him the reasons for stopping the flow.

”I learn that some inauspicious thing has been done and some purification ceremony is to be done.It may take a while for the darshan to resume” he replied

Natarjan’s wife whispered in his ear “I think the God is angry with you for hurting the beggar and that is why hurdles are coming your way today preventing the darshan.”
Natarajan kept silent for a while and then said “I too think so.The line is unusually long.I got angry when I got down from the car at the urchins and was contemplating talking to EO and again was rude to the lame beggar.Even when he was hurt, I never bent down to pacify him.It is clealy a case of God being displeased with me.I shall pray to him to fiogive me for my pretulance.”

His wife said “This is not enough.Tell Him that you would donate liberally for charitable causes and that you would be generous and compassionate to poor.You lack these qualities.”

The repentant Natarajan stung by his wife’s words promised God that he would be a changed man and that he should be given darshanthis day as if in answer to his prayers for seeking blessings before starting an important project.There were tears from his closed eyes and he was lost in thought.It was then the official touched him and asked him to get in along with others as the purification ceremony was decided to be done after an hour at an auspicious time.Natarajan became a chastened and changed man from that moment wondering at God’s infinite compassion

After the darshan, he did not go to his car but waded through the crowd with his wife in tow in search of the lame beggar.