"You belong to me!
I belong to myself.
How is that?
Again how is -that-?
This by Vedic authority.
This has been so from time immemorial
and by continued experience.
But that has been opposed!
Opposed? by whom?
In the Sastras like Gita
by Myself in clear terms.
Who is the witness there?
Superb Jnanis are there.
Alas! HoHo! all of them Jnanis
are Your same-sided. Then?
In such a juncture in the case with human beings
You seem to have resorted to terrible oath
of waist cloth, tulsi garland
and water poured on the head!"
(my translation of Parasara Bhattar's single sloka on Thirumanjanam of Sri Ranganatha. 'Tvam mE aham mE' )
In one status dialogue I was referring to the mugdaga of Sri Parasara Bhattar during the Bath Ritual of Lord Ranganatha. Let me explain the mugdaga (solitary verse) so that others who may not know already also may enjoy.
One day Sri Parasara Bhattar was worshipping Lord Ranganatha during the Bath Ritual. The Lord will be donned in a waist cloth and a garland of Tulsi in the neck during the ritual. Sri Bhattar used to have mystic communions with the Lord. In that communion the Lord asked Sri Bhattar why he was smiling as if hesitant about something?
Bhattar answered : " My Almighty Lord! you just resemble in your present get-up a pathetic loser in the Court of Law, who is about to lose his hereditary property so dear to him. Such a pathetic loser (in those days!) will resort to the last desperate measure of donning just a waist cloth and a garland of tulsi leaves in the neck and pour some water over on his head and take a very terrible oath of true claim, saying if what he was claiming turns out to be false, not only he but all his clans and lineages will go to cruelest hell - like that. So you also in your losing battle with the soul, of claiming your possession of the soul as your own and unable to answer all the rational interrogations by the soul and all your much believed proofs turned just heresy and same-sided testimonies, you are about to lose your possession of the soul in the metaphysical court of Eternity. So as if to take the terrible oath available by hoary custom you also have donned yourselves in the same manner waist-cloth and Tulsi garland and about to pour the holy water on your head ! Alas! it is so resembling and the case is nearly similar!"
Is it? Come on what were the arguments between Me and the soul?
My Supreme Lord! You were saying to the soul that he belonged to you. You had a secret plan in that. You thought that this Jiva, (soul) is always non-submissive and rebellious. So if You say that he belongs to you, then immediately his tendency will be to refute that and in turn, as a tit for tat, to say that it was not he who belonged to you but really You, who belonged to him. You were anxious he must say so and immediately before he chooses to change his views you wanted to agree to his twist of the clause and get it signed on the spot by both of you, in the presence of great Sages.
But this Jiva, soul is clever like hell. What he did you know! He didn't say as you expected. What he said was 'neither you belong to me nor I to you. But I belong to myself.
Even at that step You became worried my Lord! How to win-over this soul became your killing passion. You immediately replied to him - Hi! I have strong documentary evidence to claim that you belong to me. Do you know that? Don't brag too much man!
But the Jiva, soul was doubly clever and adamant. He asked You, 'What! what is that evidence?'
You replied, 'It is the great Revelation, the Vedas, from Eternity!'
The soul pooh-poohed your authority saying, "Hey! Come-on, Don't be so innocent! The Vedas are only words of mouth you know! The great Revelations are not written evidence. They are only pronounced and heard in a cycle from eternity. How can that stand as a evidence in a court of law? So your claim that I belong to you is only your words against mine. Come-on show something better!"
Then you became worried and asked him in retort - "Hi ! how can you, in your turn, show evidence for your claim also, that you belong to yourself and not to me?'
The soul replied, 'Hurrah ! simple... I need not show any. I have been having uninterrupted experience of myself as mine. Continuous enjoyment of property itself is valid evidence, Old Man! Compose Thyself.'
Then You said, "Hi Hi,...wait wait don't think you are too smart... too smart....I also know some court matters boy! Even in continuous enjoyment of property, that property should not have been objected to by the owner or the PoAs. But I have myself objected to your claim many times in addition to my PoAs doing so every now and then.
But your PoAs? leave them you may call them your PoAs... but actually they are also souls and they also do remain as souls... so no bother on that account... but you were saying that you yourself have objected in person. Where and when? Come-on, this is something news to me! - so said the soul.
You were jubilant that at last You have made a dent in his case. You said :' why not buddy? I came as Krishna and in the battle-field in the presence of so so many persons I openly stated my claim on you. Don't you know?
The soul replied - Oh There.... ohohhhho you are so funny! I was a little afraid for a second. But your joke...hahahhaa...Old Man!... That was in a battle-field, definitely not any solemn place of oath or status-claim! a din of cacophony of spears, war-cries, conches, weeping and cries, horse-laughs, elephent-calls -- you mean to say in that wretched place of war and noise.. You were serenely and piously stating your claim on me? Come-on.... My Sweet Old Man! Cheer up..... Losing and winning are part of nature! Take them in good spirit! OK! You are saying so. But who were at least witnesses to your claim in that horrid place?
My Lord! all colour drained from your face and you looked bleak and anxious! You said: "all the great sages are witnesses... what can I say..."
The soul replied: 'My dear dear Man! who is a sage? come-on tell me! Is he not one who has decided in your favour and is always on your side eternally, Lord God? Can a sage ever say I am neutral to God? Then how can you cite the sages as witnesses? Oh poor...poor Old Man!"
Then in that grim moment when you were about to lose your claim over the soul unable to stand against his rational interrogations, an idea seemed to have striked you. Hence You adopted this measure of Customary Oath Taking. I am not saying that it is so.
But your get-up at the present moment, when You are about to take Your Bath is very much resembling that.....
Just I thought of that ..........and I couldn't control my laughter. Hence the smile.
***
(Of course the commentary of Sri U Ve PBA Swami is an essential aid in understanding the four-lined verse of Sri Parasara Bhattar)
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