In the sacred town of Srirangam, there lived a revered scholar and devotee named Parasara Bhattar. He was renowned for his illuminating commentary on the Vishnu Sahasranama and had many disciples to whom he taught various scriptures.
The Learned Pandit and the Poor Brahmana
Every day, a learned pandit, highly knowledgeable in scriptures and adored by everyone, would walk past Parasara Bhattar’s house with his numerous disciples. Despite the pandit’s scholarly status, Bhattar paid him little attention and rarely engaged in conversation with him.
In contrast, a poor brahmana, who was a family man with no significant mastery of scriptures or Sanskrit, would also walk by Bhattar’s house daily. This brahmana collected alms in a brass vessel while chanting holy names and slokas, albeit sometimes incorrectly. Bhattar would eagerly greet him each day, inquire about his well-being, and engage in friendly conversations.
The Disciples’ Curiosity
Bhattar’s disciples were puzzled by his behavior. They couldn’t understand why their guru ignored the great pandit but showed so much respect to the poor, unlearned brahmana. So they asked him, “Guruji, why do you respect the poor brahmana so much when you don’t even talk to the learned pandit?”
Bhattar smiled and replied, “Wait until tomorrow, and you will understand.”
The Test of Faith
The next day, when the pandit passed by, Bhattar invited him into his house, offering him a seat and all due respect. Bhattar then asked him, “Paratattva naama kim? (Who is the Ultimate Reality, and what is His name?)”
The pandit became nervous and admitted, “This is the question I also cannot answer. After studying all the scriptures, I am still confused about the Paratattva.” He left Bhattar’s house, feeling embarrassed.
Later, the poor brahmana arrived, and Bhattar invited him inside with the same respect. Nervous and embarrassed, the brahmana accepted the invitation. Bhattar asked him the same question, “Who is the Paratattva?”
The Brahmana’s Conviction
The brahmana’s reaction was immediate and intense. He threw his bowl of rice against the wall in frustration and shouted, “I thought you were a great scholar! What are you teaching your disciples if you don’t know that the Lord Ranganatha residing in this Srirangam temple is the Paratattva?” He left in a huff.
Bhattar’s Lesson
Bhattar turned to his disciples and explained, “See, this brahmana has a clear and strong conviction about the Supreme Truth, whereas the scholar, despite his vast knowledge, is unsure about it. This is why I respect the brahmana so much.”
Moral of the Story
The culmination of all spiritual practices is to develop a strong faith in the Lord’s greatness and the unlimited power of His holy names. This faith comes through sincere study of scriptures and the mercy of the Lord. As the Bhagavad Gita (10.11) states:
“tesham evanukampartham / aham ajnana-jam tamaha nasayamy atma bhava-stho / jnana-dipena bhasvata”
“To show them special mercy, I, dwelling in their hearts, destroy with the shining of knowledge, the darkness born of ignorance.”
Without the Lord’s mercy, even the greatest scholar cannot understand the conclusion of the Vedas. True understanding and faith come from sincere chanting and devotion.
Hare Krishna, Hare Krishna, Krishna Krishna, Hare Hare Hare Rama, Hare Rama, Rama Rama, Hare Hare
PS: I humbly request all the devotees to please forward and share this moral/instructive story they hear so that everyone can be benefited by hearing about Krishna and his dear devotees.
