POST #85 FROM THE BOOK "NEW-CLEAR BOMBS FROM NITHYA SATSANG"
Following is an extract from the book titled: 108 New-Clear Bombs from Nithya Satsang, from the teachings of His Divine Holiness (HDH) Nithyananda Paramashivam, the living incarnation of Paramashiva. Through simple truths, HDH causes powerful cognitive shifts in individuals in his/her path of enlightenment.
Section: STORIES FOR THE SEEKER
85. Andal's garland
There is a very sweet story about Andal, a little girl who was a great devotee of Krishna. Her adoptive father Periyalvar was the priest in the temple of Krishna. Every day he used to make fresh flower garlands for Krishna, and every day, without her father's knowledge. Andal used to wear these garlands before they were taken inside for the deity!
One day her father caught her doing this, and he was very angry with her for wearing the Lord's garland and making it impure. So he made a new garland and took it to Krishna, but Krishna didn't want to wear it! The garland kept falling down again and again, and Periyalvar was afraid that the Lord was angry with him for letting Andal wear all the garlands earlier. But the Lord said, 'Get me the garland worn by my devotee! Periyalvar was shocked! He then understood Andal's devotion and realized her glory.
It is told that when Andal was asked why she was wearing the garland meant for Krishna, she said very beautifully, 'I am wearing it for His pleasure! I am beautifying my body because He is going to see me. He is going to enjoy me. He is going to experience me.'
No more independent identity. Even the body is the naivedya offered to Krishna. That is why Krishna did not feel that she is a separate body - because there was nothing inside Andal except Krishna Himself.
When you are in bhakti (devotion), you don't possess bhakti: bhakti possesses you. It is not like one more thing you will have in your house. You can't own bhakti. Bhakti will own you. As long as you own bhakti, it is not bhakti: it is managed bhakti. When bhakti owns you, it is real bhakti:prema bhakti.
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