Source: In the Presence of the Divine
Narratives of Experiences with Maha Periyaval - Volume 1
Translated by: Sujatha Vijayaraghavan
Periyaval's feet were swollen as if he suffered from elephantiasis. An elderly sumangali performed arati to Periyava. She was very upset when she saw Periyaval's swollen feet. Was there no one to attend to periyava who cured the devotees who thronged to him? She submitted her prayer to Periyavaa in a tearful voice. 'It would be good if Periyavaa paid some attention to his halth... take medicines prescribed by a good doctor...'
Periyaval almost smiled. He knew that the lady was referring to his feet. 'Come and take a look half an hour later,' he said to the lady.
After the lady left, Periyava sat in the padmasana for fifteen minutes and did his japa. The elderly lady returned a short while later. Periyaval's feet had returned to normalcy and the swelling had vanished. The lady was not able to understand how the swelling had gone down without any medication.
It was always a leela, divine play for Periyaval to take on a disease and then to cure himself of it. He would take on a devotee's disease and suffer it himself to exhaust the devotee's karma in keeping with the injunctions of the Sastra.
In any case there is no place for logic when it comes to the divine play of grace.
Narratives of Experiences with Maha Periyaval - Volume 1
Translated by: Sujatha Vijayaraghavan
Periyaval's feet were swollen as if he suffered from elephantiasis. An elderly sumangali performed arati to Periyava. She was very upset when she saw Periyaval's swollen feet. Was there no one to attend to periyava who cured the devotees who thronged to him? She submitted her prayer to Periyavaa in a tearful voice. 'It would be good if Periyavaa paid some attention to his halth... take medicines prescribed by a good doctor...'
Periyaval almost smiled. He knew that the lady was referring to his feet. 'Come and take a look half an hour later,' he said to the lady.
After the lady left, Periyava sat in the padmasana for fifteen minutes and did his japa. The elderly lady returned a short while later. Periyaval's feet had returned to normalcy and the swelling had vanished. The lady was not able to understand how the swelling had gone down without any medication.
It was always a leela, divine play for Periyaval to take on a disease and then to cure himself of it. He would take on a devotee's disease and suffer it himself to exhaust the devotee's karma in keeping with the injunctions of the Sastra.
In any case there is no place for logic when it comes to the divine play of grace.
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