14. आपन्नार्तिविनाशकः Āpannārti-vināśakaḥ

One who completely eradicated the misery of the anguished

When calamity strikes, apart from being engulfed by the troubles that come as a direct fallout of the calamity, people undergo mental agony. It is recognized by modern-day psychologists too that if the mental reaction to a negative experience is controlled, then the negative experience would have far less impact than otherwise. Thus, handling the mental dimension for the trauma-stricken is an important component of healing. This attenuation of mental suffering becomes more critical in cases where the cause of the troubles cannot themselves be countered or undone in any way, thereby leaving only the mental component to be dealt with. Furthermore, there are cases where the cause of suffering is imaginary, in which case only the mental component of the suffering exists in the first place.

This nāma is taken as covering only the mental agony of the anguished, because nāma 97 explicitly deals with all other kinds of afflictions. The focus here is solely on His Holiness being the vināśaka, One who completely eradicated, the ārti, mental agony, of āpanna, the anguished.

❧

A lady who was hardly thirty lost her husband in an accident. The responsibility of looking after her two young sons fell on her shoulders. One day, she requested His Holiness for an audience. He asked her to come and see Him the next morning and told another devotee also to come with her. The lady asked His Holiness, “Why is it that I have to undergo so much suffering? I have not committed any sin. Why then should I suffer? Now that my husband is dead, who will look after me?” His Holiness spent much time consoling her.

He explained to her that the entire world is impermanent. He then proceeded to point out that one suffers due to one’s own karma; there is nobody who does not undergo suffering. He advised, “Your children are like your eyes. It is your duty to bring them up well. You are academically well-qualified. Take up a teacher’s job. That would fetch you sufficient money to meet the needs of your family. My blessings are with you.”

No sooner had His Holiness spoken with her and blessed her, than she felt great peace. Her morale grew manifold and she resolved that she would do as per His Holiness’s advice. She visited the Maṭha regularly. By His Holiness’s grace, she and her children did well in life.

❧

During His Hyderabad camp in May 1960, His Holiness was one day visiting the houses of devotees for pādapūjā. Sri Padmanabha Upadhyaya, His

54 14. Āpannārti-vināśakaḥ Personal Assistant, and Sri Kalasha Shamanna occupied the front seat apart from the devotee driving the car. The driver of the pilot vehicle that was in front of His Holiness’s car realized that he was on the wrong road and, intending to make a U-turn, suddenly stopped the vehicle. Noticing the sudden stopping of the pilot vehicle, the driver of His Holiness’s car also stopped. His Holiness, who was discussing some important issues with Upadhyaya and Shamanna, took it for granted that He had reached a devotee’s house and immediately alighted. He walked straight into the house after opening the gates by Himself; the front door of the house was open. Upadhyaya and Shamanna blindly followed. What His Holiness had entered was the house of a Muslim family. He quickly sensed this and that there was some slip-up. The people in the house were mourning an unfortunate death that had occurred a few days back. His Holiness did not turn back and leave. Instead, addressing a middle-aged woman who was weeping inconsolably, He enquired kindly as to what the matter was. The people in the house stood up and one of them mentioned the cause of their grief.

His Holiness spent some time with them, uttering soothing and consoling words. Such was the way in which He freely interacted with them that they spoke with Him as if they had been intimate with Him for long. In a matter of minutes, not only was there no weeping in the house but the inmates appeared cheered up. His Holiness asked for fruits to be brought from the car and gave them to the family members. Having virtually become one of them and assuaged them, He started to leave. The entire family followed Him to the car and saw Him off.

After He left, neither did His Holiness chide His staff for the mix up nor did He even show any sign that something had gone amiss; it was as if He had been to a devotee’s house and left as He would normally have done.

❧

A man who had served in the army came to have His Holiness’s darśana. He was suffering from severe depression. He considered himself the cause of the gruesome death of hundreds of people and this was tormenting him no end. Belonging to a traditional Hindu family, he had learnt, by rote, the Lakṣmī-nṛsiṁha-karāvalamba-stotra and while entering His Holiness’s room, he loudly chanted the stotra. His Holiness spoke to him compassionately. In response he lamented, “Swamiji, I have killed many people in cold blood. I have thus committed an unpardonable sin. I feel that I deserve to die now. Will there be any expiation for my acts?” When he finished his emotional outpouring, His Holiness did something unexpected. He placed both His hands on the person’s head and declared, “You will be alright. Do not worry.” The man was overjoyed at this unexpected blessing and left with peace of mind.

❧