The height of Bhakthi

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The height of Bhakthi

 

 

 

Kannappa Nayanaar, his original name is Thinnanar. He comes to forest

for hunting with his servants. While chasing an animal he comes to see the temple of Kalathi. On seeing this Shiva temple he forgets

everything. The very sight of the temple brings him to his senses. He strongly understands the futility of worldly life. He gets himself lost in the thought of the Lord and in offering service to Him. He renounces everything and sticks to the temple. His approach to Siva is unique.He does not know any rituals and so he follows his own mind in conducting pooja and offering service to God. He offers even meat to the shrine. Next day the priest of the temple comes and he is disgusted to see the meat within the temple. One night Siva appears in the dream of the priest and informs him of Thinnanar and his strong devotion to Him.Siva asks him to hide in the temple after 'pooja'.

 

He does the same and sees Thinnanar coming with meat etc. He pays

offerings to God as usual. Suddenly blood drips from one eye of the

idol.Thinnanar is undone to see such a scene. He runs into the forest and brings some medicinal leaves and drops the essence on the eye of the idol. The blood does not stop.

 

He remembers an old saying in "Flesh for Flesh". So he plucks his eye at once and places it on the eye of the idol. Blood stopped dripping.After a while blood comes from the other eye of the idol. Then he tries to pluck out his other also for putting on the shrine. Then God Siva blesses him with mukti.

 

When people learn a things they generally develop an ego, though they

survive a lot other hurdles on the way of reaching God. This results in the loss of dedication for God. Sri Parvathi herself came to earth to show how people with great knowledge should act. When the Lord explained to Parvathi the Shiva Agama, She wanted to pray the God as it is said in the Agama. She came to kashi and did a lot of Dharma as Annapurana. Then she came to kanchi as kamakshi, made a Shiva Lingam out of sand on the bank of river kambai, and prayed the Lord according to the Agama rules.One day to show the greatness of Bhakthi, He created flood in the river kambai on the bank of which Parvathi was praying Shiva Lingam. Sri Parvathi being the Adhi Para shakathi could have stopped the flood, or she, being the part of the Supreme, could have thought that "God is almighty and nothing can hurt Him". But her flow of Bhakthi - love- for Lord was much greater than the flood in river kambai. She embraced the God with Her hands and body to 'protect' Him from the flood. That is the height of bhakthi. What else can God do than appearing from the flood of

her bhakthi.

 

The true Bhakthi is one when you surrender yourself to God completely

and you have nothing for you, but everything for the Lord.

 

 

Courtesy:shaivam.org

 

 

Regards

 

Prasanna Kumar