Ocean Of Infinite Mercy

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*Ocean Of Infinite Mercy*

 

Jayadeva was a great saint who hailed form Orissa. He was a great lover of

Sri Krishna and wrote a number of hymns of which the 'Gita Govinda' has

become an immortal piece of devotional literature.

 

Once Jayadeva was sitting and meditating on the banks of a holy river. A

wealthy merchant happened to pass by that side. The merchant was highly

captivated by the saintly appearance of Jayadeva. Then and there he decided

to get Mantradiksha form Jayadeva. He ordered for a chariot and waited for

the saint to complete his meditation. When Jayadeva came down to the normal

plane, the merchant fell flat at his feet and requested him humbly to come

to his house and initiate him with mantra. Jayadeva agreed and both started

towards the merchant's house in the chariot. His house was far away and was

situated on the other side of a thick forest. Initiation over, the merchant

presented one thousand gold coins and very costly clothes and sent back

Jayadeva to his house in the chariot.

 

When the chariot was passing half way through the forest, there was a sudden

commotion. The breading of twigs from huge trees could be clearly heard. The

two horses drawing the chariot began to run hither and thither. Suddenly

there appeared four dacoits with weapons and stopped the chariot. The

charioteer ran away in fear, Jayadeva was caught alone unawares. He was

completely absorbed in the repetition of the sweet name of Sri Krishna. The

dacoits approached Jayadeva and asked him to handover the gold coins and the

clothes. Unhesitatlngly he gave away everything and started walking towards

his village with the Lord's name on his lips.

 

But one of the dacoits became suspicious. He thought Jayadeva may reach the

village fast and bring some people to attack the dacoits. So he ran towards

Jayadeva, cut off his hands and legs and threw him into a nearby well.

 

The well was dry without a single drop of water. Jayadeva was absorbed in

the joyous meditation of Sri Krishna, oblivious of his physical condition.

At that time, the King of the State came to the forest for hunting wild

animals. After many hours of hunting he became very thirsty and started

searching for water. He saw this well and approached it with the hope of

getting some drinking water. But as he neared the well, he heard beautiful

singing of Bhajan from inside it. He leapt forward and saw a man singing

praises of Sri Krishna. The man's hands and legs had been cut off and blood

was oozing from his body.

 

The king was stunned. Who could this great man be? Who has done harm to such

a great man? How can such a thing happen in his regime?

 

The king asked his servants to get down the well and bring the saint out.

Jayadeva was then taken to the palace and given treatment. When asked by the

King who the culprits were, Jayadeva simply said that everything happens by

God's will. There is no point in finding fault with any one in the world.

 

The King was much impressed. He was a great devotee of Lord Siva. He thought

Jayadeva could be his guide and guru and help him in his path of

God-realisation. He seated Jayadeva in the palace on par with him and took

his advice on all matters relating to the administration of the state.

 

Days passed. The dacoits heard that the King was very pious and gives away

lot of riches to anyone who chants the name of God. So they hit upon an

idea. They dressed like holy men and entered the palace chanting the glories

of God. The King welcomed them with the honour due to holy men. He directed

his servants to give gold and silver as much as they wished.

 

In the meantime, the dacoits noticed Jayadeva sitting by the side of the

King with his hands and legs cut off. They were afraid that Jayadeva may

expose them and give them severe punishment. They started shivering in their

shoes. The King noticed this and make a sign to Jayadeva. But Jayadeva

behaved as if he did not observe anything. He asked the servants to escort

them and leave them safely upto their State boundary.

 

The dacoits heaved a sigh of relief. They walked fast to reach their house

before anything unforeseen happened. Noticing their fear while in the court

and now, the servants of the palace asked them why they were so much afraid

of Jayadeva. The dacoits replied: "That fellow Jayadeva was a thief. We were

the inhabitants of the neighboring kingdom. Our king once ordered us to kill

him of his thefts. But we took sympathy on him, cut off his legs and hands

and threw him into a well. He is now posing as a wise man in your king's

court. Since he is afraid we may tell the truth, he has given us lot of gold

and silver and servants to escort us. Your Jayadeva is alive only because of

your mercy. That is why we felt uneasy in his presence

 

As soon as they spoke thus, Sri Krishna could not bear the words. The earth

broke into two and all the four dacoits fell into a deep abyss in between

the earth. The servants returned to the palace and narrated what had

happened. The king was happy that the liars were rightly punished by the

merciful Lord. But Jayadeva was miserable. Was it not because of him that

the dacoits fell into the Patala? He must go and save them. He promptly

started to go. The King was worried as to what would happen to Jayadeva. So

he also accompanied him. Both of them reached the place, Jayadeva chanting

the praises of Sri Krishna and the King singing the glories of Lord Siva.

 

Reaching the spot, Jayadeva became overwhelmed with sorrow. Because of him,

the dacoits have died. This was wrong. The only way to atonement was to

immolate by himself falling into the Patala. He was prepared for this last

act of sacrifice.

 

The king was annoyed and afraid. How can he live without his Guru? He

decided that if Jayadeva died, he would also follow the suit. He expressed

his wishes clearly to his Guru Jayadeva. Jayadeva was confused. If the king

dies, who will look after the kingdom? Unable to take any decision, Jayadeva

fell down unconscious. The king thought that Jayadeva gad given up his body.

Not knowing what to do, he started imploring to the Lord Siva in pathetic

tone in various ways for a long time. The Lord was merciful to the king.

Siva appeared there with Parvathi and a trident in hand. At his wish,

Jayadeva regained his consciousness. Both the King and the Saint were

ecstatic at the vision of the Lord.

 

Siva asked Jayadeva for any boon that he may choose. Pat cause the reply

without the least hesitation. "May the four dacoits who harmed me be

liberated. May they suffer no more in their future lives."

 

What example of mercy! Jayadeva did not think of asking the Lord for

restoration of his own hands and legs. He did not think of acquiring any

riches, material or spiritual, for his own comfort or spiritual progress.

All the same, he was thinking only of the happiness and welfare of the

dacoits who were his sworn enemies. Can there be a better example than this

for us to emulate?

 

Needless to say, the merciful Lord granted the boon and also restored hands

and legs to Jayadeva. From then on the saint lived a long and happy life

praising the glories of the Lord.

 

 

Source :http://www.ramakrishnamath.com

 

Regards

Prasanna Kumar