A Sacred Temple and an Uninvited Guest
In a sacred temple dedicated to Lord Nārāyaṇa, situated in the heart of a busy town, the deity was worshipped daily with elaborate rituals, fragrant garlands, clarified butter lamps, and the constant chanting of mantras. The pūjārīs and devotees maintained strict cleanliness and devotion in the service of the Lord.
Yet, beneath the marble altar, hidden behind a cloth curtain, lived a cat. No one knew exactly how it had arrived or how long it had been there. At first, the priests tried to remove it, but the creature always found its way back to its little nook under the Lord’s altar.
Eventually, the cat became a silent witness to the worship, present for every mangala-ārati, bhoga offering, and kīrtana. Though it did not know the meaning of the ceremonies, it sat silently each day as flowers were offered, conch shells were blown, and bells were rung.
The Presence of the Lord’s Glories
Over time, the cat grew old and thin, and moved very little. It rarely wandered outside the temple and would rest most of the day near the warmth of the oil lamps. It never disrupted the worship or harmed the pigeons that flew overhead. It simply listened and watched.
One day, as the pūjārī waved the final lamp during sandhyā-ārati, the cat, now frail, lay curled near the sanctum, its ears twitching softly to the sound of Govinda nāma. As the final bell rang and the last flowers were offered, the cat breathed its last, still resting beneath the altar.
Divine Intervention for an Unlikely Soul
That night, as the priests cleaned the temple, they found the lifeless body of the cat and were unsure how to respond. Some considered it an impurity, others wondered if it was an omen.
But before any decision could be made, celestial beings appeared, their effulgent forms radiating divine brilliance. The Viṣṇudūtas declared:
“This creature, though born in the species of a cat, resided for years under the very altar of the Supreme Lord. Day and night it listened to mantras, watched the āratis, and remained in the atmosphere of the Lord’s glories. Such association, even without conscious effort, has now liberated this soul. It shall never again enter a material body.”
And they gently lifted the cat’s soul, carrying it beyond this world to Vaikuṇṭha, the eternal home of the Lord.
Lessons to Be Learned:
- Constant presence in the Lord’s temple, even without active participation, purifies the soul.
- The Lord is merciful to all living beings, regardless of their form or awareness.
- Simply hearing, seeing, or dwelling in the atmosphere of bhakti brings great benefit.
- As stated in the Padma Purāṇa and emphasized by our ācāryas: “tulasi-mālā-dhāraṇāt darśanād eva pāvanam / sparśanād api pāpa-ghnam śravaṇād mukti-dāyakam”
“Simply by wearing, seeing, touching, or hearing sacred things connected to the Lord, one becomes purified and ultimately liberated.”
Origin of the Story: Padma Purāṇa – Stories section demonstrating the liberating power of the Lord’s association, even for animals dwelling in His presence.
