Owning Responsibility ……………..VENGRAI pARTHASARATHY
Sri Karunakaran Swamy, noted for his anecdotal discourses , related an episode from the Ramayana in a lecture.
The hump-back Mantharai had poisoned Kaikeyi’s mind which led to Rama’s exile and ultimately to heart-broken Dasaratha’s death. Mantharai was rewarded with many pieces of jewelry by Kaikeyi, almost weighing her down. Shatrughna accosted her and blamed her for Dasaratha’s demise but Bharatha intervened and asked him why he was trying to punish her.Shatrughna said that she was to blame for Rama’s exile and Dasaratha’s death Bharatha said she is not to blame.
Shatrugna asked him, Then, who was the root casue?Was it not Mantharai? Was it then Kaikeyi? Was it Dasaratha himself? Was it fate? Who then is to blame?
Who then?
Bharatha said “I am responsible because if I had not been born the developments that took place would not have happened”. Owning others mistake as one’s own is the hall marka (LakshaNa) of true Bhaktha.
The Swamy was explaining this anecdote to highlight the response of one of the maids who was being woken by Andal and her friends. There was a friendly banter where the girl in question when accused of glibness with words and cleverness , she responds with the statement “ValleergaL neengalae, Nanaedhaan Aayidugha (Let me be, Let me be the one who has faulted).. This shows the humility of one who surrenders everything to the Lord. Owning responsibility on one’s self is the hall mark of a devotee.
All the saints have sought the mercy of the Lord, disparaging themselves as being unworthy of His grace ( Vengrai Parthasarathy)