Thus Spake the Divine - Maha Lakshmi

Thus Spake the Divine

Maha Lakshmi

In this and the next chapter, Poojyasri Maha Periyava talks about Kanakadhara Sthavam, the First Shloka composed by Bhagavadpada and the story behind it. Acharya pleads Goddess to shower compassion on a poor lady, which reveals his own compassion for the mankind.

Acharya says a person has to constantly engage in a deep self-inquiry to attain the wisdom of Advaita. But, who will feed him and his family if he engages in self-inquiry? All cannot engage in self- inquiry. One needs money to run his day- to-day life. Tiruvalluvar proclaims that “Those who do not possess wealth do not deserve to live in this world”.

There are, of course, some, who are able to engage in self-inquiry. However, they are able to do so only with the help of people, who are earning, run the family and support them financially in meeting their basic day-to-day needs.

Bhagavadpada, in his Bhaja Govindam, says in one place, “Economic substances are meaningless (Artham Anartham)”. He, in the same Bhaja Govindam at another place, advises people not to be too greedy for wealth. He underlines that people must earn their living in adherence with the rules of Dharma and lead a fair and equitable life.

Maha Lakshmi is the Goddess for Wealth. If we pray to Her, She will bestow us with justifiable amount of wealth depending on our worth. Bhagavadpada, out of His absolute compassion towards wellbeing of human beings, has also composed a Shloka titled “Kanagadhara Sthavam”. In this, He prescribes the ways of worshipping Goddess Maha Lakshmi to live a hassle-free life. There is a story behind the composition of Kanagadhara Sthavam, which is prior to the period of Bhagavadpada taking Sanyasam. As a child, Bhagavadpada was studying in a Gurukul.

He was taking bhiksha (alms) every day from houses in the village. Once, He happened to visit the house of a very poor man for Bhiksha on a Dwadasi Day (day next to Ekadashi). But actually, He had gone to that house only to bless the poor man with great wealth! Listen to the rest of the story.

When He went to that house, only the poor man’s wife was there. She was overwhelmed looking at the radiance on the face of Bhagavadpada and wanted to give Him some Bhiksha. However, there was not a grain of rice at home. On a detailed search, she found a rotten gooseberry (nellikkai in Tamil), which is the most essential and inevitable ingredient for completion of Ekadashi Day.

She was so emotional by the thought of giving that rotten gooseberry to the Divine Child Shankara. She was in a highly disturbed mind set as to whether or not to give the rotten gooseberry to Him. She also did not want Bhagavadpada to go empty-handed. So, she finally made up her mind to give Him the gooseberry.

Acharya, on taking the Bhiksha, could realise the generosity and magnanimity of the lady despite the product being unworthy of eating. His heart melted and He immediately started singing the “Kanagadhara Sthavam”, which is dedicated to Goddess Maha Lakshmi for Her grace. This story is being continued in the next chapter.

This article is a snippet from the Book Thus Spake the Divine, is available online at www.giri.in and across Giri Trading Agency Private Limited, A chain of Speciality Stores dealing in all kinds of products needed in Indian Culture and Tradition.