Gururamma

 

He that gives what is asked.

Two contemporary persons, a man and a woman, are popular in Guruvayur for their utmost and soulful devotion to Lord Krishna. Their devotion, if measured at the Tulabaram (weighing scale in temples), would weigh the same, no one’s more, no one’s less. They were Gururamma and Bilvamangalan. As they were believed to have personally seen the Lord, people used to respect and pay obeisance to them.

Krishna the playful child would go to Gururamma’s house and rightfully climb on her laps, and would refuse food unless she fed Him with her own hands. Gururamma would also not eat until she fed Krishna. We are used to offer tons of prasad to the Lord knowing that they will be taken back to be consumed by us. But if Krishna asked more than the just quantity for a child, Gururamma, out of motherly concern and affection, would refuse it to the Lord, for any excess in-take might hurt Him by way of indigestion! Such was her Bhakti. If He took a piece without her knowledge, she would snatch it from His hands, and reconcile later by showering Him with her affectionate kisses. Though not fortunate enough to see the Lord, many in the town have heard with their own ears the pleasant sound of anklets as He playfully ran around inside her house.

Bilvamangala’s bhakti was no less passionate to that of Gururamma, but his was of the authoritarian type. Whenever he found Krishna playing the flute for a long time, he took the liberty to snatch it away from Him, saying it would hurt His mouth and His lips needed some rest! Krishna would run after Bilvamangala begging for the flute, and the people outside his house would listen with absolute ecstasy the jingles of Krishna’s anklets accompanied by the thud of Bilvamangala’s footsteps reverberating every now and then.

There lived an unfortunate man in Guruvayur who was suffering from severe stomach pain for a long time. No physician or treatment could alleviate his pain. His relatives suggested he should go to either Gururamma or Bilvamangala, for these two, known to be close to the Lord, would surely get a cure from the Lord himself.

Accordingly, he went to Bilvamangala. Bilvamangala was moved to see the man’s suffering, and promised to take it up with Krishna that evening itself. The evening came, and so did Krishna, always eager to play. What shall we play today, chasing each other, or hide and seek?, He asked Bilvamangala with the usual smile. Whatever you wish, Krishna, but before we play, I have a small request for you, said Bilvamangala.

What do you want?

Krishna, this man who came to me earlier today, is suffering from unabated severe stomach ache. His pain is true, I saw it with my own eyes. Can you not cure his ailment?

Krishna laughed. How can you bring such requests, Bilva? That is his karma, he has to undergo this for his past misdeeds. Nothing can be done. Forget him, come to play with me!

Bilvamangala did not know how to respond. He just asked time to dispose the man away, came out, and conveyed to him what Krishna had told him. The man was aghast. “Is this all you can do for me? I thought you would provide me relief, but I am only disappointed.” Saying this, he left for trying his luck with Gururamma.

Next day, he went to Gururamma’s house, prostrated at her feet and poured his suffering out for her to listen and feel his pain. She pacified him. My son, there is nothing that Krishna cannot do. He will come here for lunch, at which time I will convey your problem to Him. Consider your pain as gone now onwards, you can leave with my assurance, she said.

She prepared sweet milk a little more delicious than usual, and waited for Him. “I am hungry, what do you have for me”, Krishna came asking eagerly. She took Him on her lap, and with a small cup that would just fit the Lord’s little mouth, affectionately poured the sweetened milk with a divine flavour little by little into His mouth, slowly and cautiously opening up the story of the man with ever present stomach ache. “My dear Krishna, isn’t that poor guy also one of your creations? How can you allow him to suffer so much? I could not bear his suffering. I wish that just as this small sips of delicious milk wipes out your hunger, your tiniest wink of kindness makes his pain disappear for ever. Oh, you have already wiped out his pain! I am so happy my Lord! Now let me sing your favourite lullaby. You must be tired after all the walk and run around the temple! Let me massage your soft feet, take rest, Krishna, get to nap a little!” Thus after feeding Him, she put Lord Krishna to sleep on her laps. The Lord, enjoying the song and the cuddle, opened His most beautiful cute little mouth for a smiling yawn and slowly closed His eyes.

What a surprise! The man suffering so long from severe stomach ache could see that his pain just vanished suddenly within a second!

Gururamma became the talk of the town. Naturally, Bilvamangala was upset. How was his devotion lesser than that of Gururamma? Had he not treated Krishna with the same affection and attention? He could not bear it, and the next day, when Krishna came to his house, asked Him in his own authoritarian manner: Krishna, you told me his pain was his karma and you cannot cure it, but you cured it when Gururamma put the same request to you. Why?

Krishna replied with a smile: “It is all in the belief, Bilva! What did you ask me? Try to recollect what you asked me and how you asked me. Did you tell me take his pain away? Is it not true that you only asked me whether I could not cure his ailment? And when I told you it was his karma, you could have very well asked me to nullify his karma! Did you ask me that?

Whereas, see what Gururamma did. As she was feeding me, she pleaded me to take erase his pain before the milk filled my stomach!

Bilva, I hold both Gururamma and you as my two eyes! I know you two are the most devoted of devotees, with your love and respect for me going beyond any bounds! However, I was a little upset at that little uncertainty of your faith in me. Gururamma had do doubt that I would cure him. So it is no wonder I heeded her words! Any way, be glad he is now cured, and come, it is time, let us play now!”

Realising that unflinching, absolute faith was the answer, Bilvamangala came back to his senses and started running ahead, for Krishna to chase him. The house was soon engulfed in sounds of joyful rapture, that were only audible to the believers outside the house.

(not sure, but I think this is my translation of a story I read in Tamil)

Dec 7, 2023