QUESTS
Mumbai, India
The tide was low at 2AM. I had risen early due to early rest. I had Juhu Beach all to myself or so it seemed. As anyone knows dogs bark at anything mobile. There were a few stray ones taking note of the moving cloth of a monk. You can’t be bothered with them as they bark for no apparent reason.
The air was best at that early hour, the beach wider than usually because of the tide. I could see so much.
Later in the temple two young men and woman entered the temple’s courtyard for the first time. It was during the portion of the morning sadhana , when a selected teacher gives lessons from the book Bhagavatam. I was surprised to see these three newcomers struggling, in a way, as to where to go and what to see. I stood up from my seat to answer to the call of duty.
It turns out that they are students from Thailand and are learning Hotel Management. With Thailand having cultural ties with India, they seemed to know SITA RAM as the altar is adorned with these deities. A diorama of Ganesh seemed to be familiar to them as well. They had questions but were shy to ask. So I asked the Bhagavatam speaker for today on their behalf one question.
They wanted to know, “Why so many gods?”I asked Sesa who sat on his asana (seat for the speaker).The gist of his answer was “God has no limitations but to satisfy His enjoying spirit He expands as many.”
I’m not sure that the entire explanation satisfied them but they were fascinated nevertheless by their whole new experience. After seeing the happy trio off I wondered how often this scenario takes place. When guests come, especially from afar, do they get looked after or are they ignored?”
7 Km
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