Loss of Speech
By Karmayogi
A lady devoted to Lord Nataraja of
Chidamabaram was a model of devotion. She worshipped at the temple more than
once a day. Her whole life was centred around her devotion. She heard of The
Mother. The richness and the rich fullness, the ever-increasing devotion She
now felt was unknown to her before. She was
gifted in many ways. Now she became a gifted storywriter. Her
stories have fully brought out the fullness, richness and sweetness she
constantly felt. She has met many people in her life. Unassuming as she is, she
never found evangelism her attitude. Nor was she secretive by nature or by
choice. Recently she told someone, ‘‘People who meet me are
engrossed in Mother's overflowing consciousness. When they go, they carry
an indescribable fullness.''
Someone who came to Mother in 1962 saw his simple family buying a bus route
every year. That experience made him an ardent devotee. His closest
friend's son of eleven years suddenly lost his speech. The friend was a
seller of rice who had come into sudden wealth after his friend's
introduction. The rice shop owner had not heard of Mother from his friend. The
loss of speech is something serious. Several remedies suggested to them proved
to be vain. In such circumstances, a plethora of suggestions suddenly crops up.
The devotee knew for certain the speech would
be restored if the boy's parents would pray. In that period,
no one in Tamil Nadu had heard of Mother. The devotee knew the parents would
laugh at him if he ever suggested to them to pray to Mother. A suggestion
laughed at may permanently cancel the chance of a cure. He came all the way
from Kancheepuram to Cuddalore to consult me on his friend's plight and
ask if anything could be done. The boy would not pray. The parents had no
faith. They might even pour scorn on the suggestion. The prayer of the devotee
could restore the speech, but it might result in a loss of speech for him.
I dismissed it from my mind. After waiting for five hours, the devotee started
to leave. Again he raised the issue. His interest in his friend was abiding. I
said, ‘‘Simply think of Mother every time the issue comes to
mind,'' and sent him away. A week later, the devotee came back,
saying, ‘‘The whole family went to a doctor in Madras whose house was locked. We waited
for a long time. After 1 hours, the afflicted boy spoke out, 'Appa, let
us go home.' We all returned home in unbelieving
incredulousness.'' The incident raised the devotee's faith. In
later years he forgot it. I could not, as it had made an indelible impression
on me.