What Can I Offer At Thy Holy Feet!
H H Maa Purnananda
“Ashaastravihitam Ghoram Tapyantey Ye Tapo Janaah; Dambhaahankaar Samyuktaah Kaamraagbalaanvitaah.” – (Sreemad Bhagawad Geeta – 17/5)
While going through Sree Ramcharit Maanas, I suddenly realised that all through this great work of an ardent and learned devotee of Lord Sree Ram, Sant Tulsidas ji, has in fact not offered anything to the Lord of his heart! The various characters who had the greatest privilege of having Sree Ram’s Darshan, also do not offer anything to Him, barring a few, such as Mata Shabri who offers berries, and some of the Rishi-s too who offer some fruits.
Instead, each and every one, including Sant Tulsidas ji himself, asks for something or the other from the Lord; most of them ask for unadulterated devotion at the Holy Feet of their beloved Lord Sree Ram.
It is interesting to note that even the great Sages and Sadguru-s have not really offered anything to Their Guru-s and the Lord. Be Him Bhagwaan Sree Vedvyaas, Sadguru Sree Adi Shankaracharya or our Gurudev Sree Swami Chinmayananda to name a few; They all sing the glory of the Lord and Their Guru-s at the commencement of Their Holy Works as also here and there all through the Texts.
It is true that there is nothing that can really be offered by us to the Lord and our Guru-s. what do we have anyhow, that can be offered or is worthy of offering to the very providers of it? We must understand that all that we have is due to the grace of the Lord and the Guru. The Gnyaani-Bhakt (a wise-devotee) knows that no matter how much effort does he put forth, but without Their grace, all his effort would be futile. Hence, all that one can do is to be sincerely grateful to Them and try to serve Them humbly and obediently. That is exactly what Sree Hanuman does and therefore He is the greatest Gnyaani-Bhakt of His Beloved Lord Sree Ram.
Referring to the import of the given Shlok it is evident, that to offer even a small service at the Holy-feet of the Lord, the devotee, with purity of intention, will have to understand and practice the scriptural injunctions properly. This might make the devotee worthy of offering his service unto Them, and that too of course, by Their grace alone.
Any thought, word or deed of ours, even though seemingly magnanimous and intensely oriented towards the Divine, but if not in accordance with the Scriptures (Ashaastravihitam), it is considered by none other than the Lord Himself, as a pretence and ostentation, intensely motivated by desire and passion. Thus, it would lose its sanctity and the very purpose.
This makes it very clear that in absence of the given parameters, it is worthless to offer anything to the Lord. So, instead of offering anything to the Lord, His great devotees always seek, beg or even demand, nothing other than unflinching faith and unwavering devotion at His Holy-feet.
On the auspicious day of Sree Guru Purnima falling on 16th July this year, may we be blessed by Sree Guru Parampara, so that though we are incapable of offering anything to Them, we are bestowed with the ability to seek deep devotion unto Their Holy-feet at the least! Join us at SISS to offer Sree Guru Paaduka Puja on this very important day at 11.00am.