OLD HABITS DIE HARD

The devotion of Periyazhwar on Lord Ranganatha is always a favorite topic of discussion in Sri Vaishnavism. He had dedicated a small garden for growing flowers and the holy Tulasi for the Lord. It is believed that he would pick the flowers from his own garden, string them into a garland and offer it to Ranganatha. When we speak about his devotion, any ardent devotee would feel inspired to do something, at least on a smaller magnitude to show their love and affection to the Lord.

Yes, just like everyone knows it, Kodhai was his daughter who married Ranganatha later in her life. His life story had always been an inspiration for me. But time and space didn’t allow me to completely achieve what I had imagined. However, I didn’t give up. I started gardening with ardent affection with the thought of having surplus flowers for my Krishna every day. Holding this thought very dearly, I began planting flower saplings and in a span of three years, I had realized my dream. Even to this day I have made it a mandate that the flowers that grow in our garden are offered to the God.

Sometimes I wonder how my flowering bushes offer the flowers without finding a single excuse. The answer that pop’s out of my mind is, “They grow not for me, but as an offering to Krishna.”

I extended my little garden idea to the unused space near the water pit just outside my compound wall. I had realized that the area which I could use for the flowering creepers was ideal and would grow over the compound wall forming a cover around the house. It also served the same use of abundant flowers to Krishna. We tended to these plants as our own and it took about two years for it to even start flowering. We made sure that it received adequate nourishment like fertilizers, regular weed removal and water so that they could sustain well.

Of course, over the time I had realized my dream again.

Our people believe that anything outside the premises of one’s house also belongs to them. When I was nurturing them as my own babies, not a single soul looked towards them. Now that they are fully grown and always flowering, people have taken it mandatory to pick them to their homes. I am not against it. It in-fact makes me happy that I can serve the society in this way. But people who pick the flowers don’t like to be noticed by the owners. They run away when they hear any noise from inside the house. However, they take pleasure in picking them when not seen by anyone.

I began to notice that my long-term silence had only resulted in me having a shortage of flowers for Krishna. I decided to take note of the situation. I waited for the flower thief every day. It took me a week to find my flower thief- ‘An old man with a cloth bag luxuriously keeping the whole load to himself.’ As a result, there was not a single flower left, leaving the bushes green. Not wanting to disturb him, I watched him carefully for a week.

I didn’t feel like telling him anything. Something irked me that I was being too liberal with him. So, one day, from my portico, I said, “Old man leave some for me.” In fear, he paced fast not looking back.

The next day again I repeated the same and he ran away without looking behind.

On the third day, I decided to have a little conversation to know how his mindset works. While he was picking flowers very carefully this time, I stood behind him and cleared my throat. He shook in fear and looked at me.

I said, “Old man, I am not against you stealing the flowers. But, at this age, don’t you feel that your act of stealing is not right?”

He replied, “What is wrong? I am picking the flowers for God.”

I corrected him, “not picking; stealing.”

He appeared bewildered.

He said, “Alright, I am stealing for God.”

“How can you stop me to do a deserving thing like this? God is watching, be careful,” he warned me.

I politely replied, “You are stealing in the name of God. What is the difference between you and the Godmen of our country. You are doing it at a small scale while they are looting on a larger scale.”

He was angered.

He replied, “Stop giving me discourses. All the money that is offered to the Lord of Tirupati which is said to be one of the richest temples has its income coming from all sources. Do you think the income that the temple has generated is all money from the right source?”

I was tongue tied.

I looked at the sky waiting for Tirupati Balaji to offer some counsel.

But the atmosphere seemed to remain the same. The old man had won the argument and walked with victory.

I still stood there holding that thought.

Noticing that I was saddened by the old man’s remarks, my husband tried to lighten up the mood. He said, “why do you care for him? He is just trying to justify for his actions.”

I told my husband that Krishna in the Gita said, “Even if you offer me a flower, fruit, leaf or water, but with utmost devotion, I will accept it. He even said that if you don’t have any of it, think of me and I will be there for you. When Draupadi was losing her chastity in the Hall of the Kuru empire, she thought of Krishna. It was the thought that protected her morality. Our Puranas are all learning lessons to be a better human. But the argument of the old man is baseless. He had no remorse of stealing. The worst part of his act was he sought an alibi in Tirupati Balaji. I wonder where we are all heading towards?”

After a brief pause, I said, “Will God really accept anything that is stolen in his name? Why can’t we follow small discipline and stop blaming God for our actions?”

Few days had passed and the old man still continued his victorious flower picking/stealing.

One fine day I heard a thud outside and when I ran out, I saw the old man lying flat on the ground. He had slipped on the wet mud. Fortunately, he wasn’t wounded and I lent him a helping hand. His clothes were soiled and he wouldn’t be very comfortable to walk back home, I thought.

After he had recovered from the fall, I said, “Old man, the good that you do comes back to you; but the bad you do will forever remain with you. Your God is definitely not happy with your stealing habit. This is the reply from Tirupati Balaji.  Your small stealing shamed you today; imagine what bigger crimes will get?”

As I smiled victoriously, the old man said, “So how many flowers should I leave for you?”

As the conversation turned into friendship, we smile at each other every day and he confidently picks the flowers…of course leaving some for me.