Tirupati Lord Balaji-Bask In The Bliss Of His Beauty

Anecdotes

oi-Priya Devi

By Priya Devi

Thursday, September 30, 2010, 10:26

It was an arduous process to prepare for the journey to Tirupati all of a sudden. It all happened so quickly; a call from her mom, rather a plea to somehow join the family trip, her sister's nudging and finally her brother in law's coaxing yet a strong persuasion to make it to Tirupati for what one calls a complete family trip.

Having been acquainted with a little bit of spiritual knowledge, that all is one and having Siva for her chosen deity, it was not a question about visiting a Vishnu shrine. It was but the fact that she had planned to go to Thiruvannamalai on the same day when the sudden call to Tirupati beckoned so strongly.
Her heart wanted to meet its choice, but her choice seemed to struggle in the grip of family ties.

She shuttled between her emotions for her family and her longing to make it to her favourite place of worship. She searched for tickets to Tirupati while she thought about a serene and calm weekend in Tiruvannamalai.

It was thoroughly hectic until she boarded the bus to Tirupati amidst lashing rain. The possible strain caused by the rain made it worse. The bike skid on the road owing to the mad scurry amidst packed array of vehicles. She mumbled to her friend, “All the trouble to see the Lord who is within you...!"

The Lord (Balaji) who is difficult to be attained and all the more difficult to be approached in Tirupati with flocking devotees in a continuous trail of an unending queue, had made it easy to approach Him. It was a smooth get in, however the guard would not let her in for the want of an extra layer of garment. The demand was however met with the help of the escort and they hurried their way into the temple.

As the queue approached the sanctum, the first sight was His face with the striking white namam (the mark on His forehead) against His dark skin. She kept her eyes fixed on Him as the queue proceeded to procure the much awaited sight. Seeing the Lord (Lord Balaji or Lord Venkateswara) was the central aim of all those who queued there. Eager eyes strove to capture His alluring, electrifying form. She uttered 'Narayana... Narayana..., as she moved forward to confront Him face to face, the One who pulled her rather recklessly to His feet.

She urgently lowered her eyes from the striking face to His feet, at which the fingers of His right arm was pointing. The feet was covered with Tulsi leaves offered to Him in the course of worship. His left arm rested elegantly by His thigh. He was clad in a maroon silk garment as gold ornaments adorned His black bare chest and well built limbs. Could one miss His elegantly built shoulders when they happen to see the Conch and Discuss that His arms from behind held? Matchless beauty and elegance that one could have ever set eyes on! A beauty that liberates and not binds.

It did not seem anything more than a thrilling experience to her, until when she reflected in solitude that an essential part of her was missing. Lo! Her heart was stolen! It was Him again who had the hearts of the Gopis dancing to His mystical and magical tunes, who had stolen her heart in a glance amidst thousands of thronging devotees. A feat which none but He can perform so effortlessly! He had completely taken her consciousness of time and space, banishing the mind to the realm of stillness and making her His own completely even without her knowledge in that short span.

The experience of bliss which she experienced in Tiruvannamalai, with the Satyam (truth) aspect of the Lord, of ('Satyam, Sivam, Sundaram'), coupled with Sivam (Auspiciousness), was experienced here with the 'Sundaram' (Beauty) aspect of the Lord coupled with 'Sivam' (Auspiciousness)

For a person who was trying to penetrate forms, hoping to realise the transcendental truth of formlessness, His (Lord Balaji) form rendered the bliss of the same truth with the splendour of its beauty and charm.

It is beauty beyond one's imagination that the mind fails to capture. His large, beautiful towering form eludes the mind with only aspects of it captured here and there. Is He not beyond the mind?

Though His (Lord Balaji or Lord Venkateswara) form is but a vague picture in the mind, one cannot deny the same bliss when trying to recollect it. It only creates an urge that is beyond understanding to seek Him in Tirupati beyond all physical strain involved.

It is but an undeniable truth that His mysterious and mischievous ways still continue to enslave hearts as His beauty beckons until He allows one to merge with Him in complete consummation.