417. Karunakaran's Reservations.

Attracted by the talks of Swami Thanmayananda, Karunakaran frequented his lectures. During one of the programs, he got acquainted with the sage.

Sometime later, Thanmayananda asked Karunakaran to join his organization as a spiritual speaker.

"You have an abiding interest in spirituality. You are also well-versed on several aspects of spirituality. You can join our organization, get trained and then become a spiritual speaker, spreading our values to the people."

"I am married. I am running a business. I don't want to become a saint" said Karunakaran.

"I am not asking you to become an ascetic. Joining our organization will not hinder your personal or professional life in any way. The classes will be in the evening. After six months of training, you can begin to give lectures. Our organization will arrange for the lectures. You only need to prepare your speeches on the topics given and speak at the event. You can continue doing your business" said Thanmayananda.

After reflecting on this proposal for some time, Karunakaran accepted it.

After completing his training, Karunakaran met Thanmayananda.

"You have successfully completed the training. Congratulations" said Thanmayananda.

"Swamiji! I have a question."

"Ask!"

"During the training program, you told us that people engaged in spiritual pursuit, should not get married."

"Yes. I did."

"In that case, how can I, a married person, function as a spiritual speaker?"

"If someone offers you a job, will you say that you are not qualified for the job?"

Karunakaran knew that the sage was avoiding a direct answer to his question.

"Pardon me, Swamii. During the training, some speeches of your Guru were played. In all his speeches, he says that we should accept life as a gift given to us by God and live our life happily. He doesn't say that one should remain unmarried" said Karunakaran, 

"Are you suggesting that I preach things not mentioned by my Guru? During his last days, when he couldn't speak coherently, he wrote out the ideas he wanted me to preach and gave the notes to me. I have only been carrying out the mission of spreading his ideas. To me, probing into his teachings to find possible contradictions would have been impudent. I will never venture into such an exercise" said Thanmayananda.

Sensing the anger in his reply, Karunakaran said, "Pardon me, Swaniji, if I have been presumptuous. I am still not clear about this point. So, I will take a decision on giving talks on spirituality, after I get clarity about this" and took leave of the sage.

After a few days, Karunakaran received a message over phone that Thanmayananda wanted to meet him.

Karunalkaran went to see the sage, reluctantly, fearing that he would find it difficult to resist the sage, if the sage were to insist that Karunakaran, having undergone the training already, begin to give spiritual talks, 

Thanmayananda greeted Karunakaran, enthusiastically.

"I am thankful to you, Karunakaran!" said the sage.

"What for, Swamiji?"asked Karunakaran, perplexed.

"The question you raised had also been in my mind, since long. But since, we normally don't question the teachings of our Guru, I had quelled my doubt. But, after you had raised the point, my earlier misgivings got revived. So, I went through the notes of my Guru. He had written his notes in English. He had written 'People interested in spiritual pursuits should celebate.' As you know, 'celebate' means to remain unmarried. But, when I took a closer look at his writing, I realized that he had, in fact, written 'celebrate.' The 'r' was small and inconspicuous, as it often happens when we write. He had given a clear message that pursuit of spirituality meant that we should celebrate life. There is no contradiction in his preaching. The anomaly arose because of my misreading his handwritten notes. Because of your clear thinking, you brought out the anomaly, and made me take a relook at my Guru's notes and correct my understanding. You are even more qualified than me, to spread the teachings of my Guru!" said Thanmayananda.

Thirukkural
Section 2

Materialism

Chapter 42
Learning through Listening

Verse 417 (in Tamil):

pizhaiththu uNarndhum pEdhaimai sollAr izhaiththu uNarndhu
INdiya kELviyavar.

Meaning:

People who have profoundly studied and diligently listened to (scholarly discourses), will not speak foolishly, even if they have understood something imperfectly.

(This is the English version of the Tamil story 'karuNAkaranin thayakkam' by the same author.)

Verse 418
Verse 416