King Thondaman got exquisite flowers made out of gold to Lord Venkateswara Swami, Thirumala. He ‘ordered’ the priest to use ‘his’ flowers during the pavalimpu se:va, the final prayer of the day putting Lord to ‘rest’ before the new day begins. The priest offered the flowers at the lotus feet of Lord following King’s wish and went back home.

The king came back in the morning to check ‘his’ flowers. To his surprise, the gold flowers were seen away from Lord’s feet. ‘Some other’ flowers made of mud were there instead. He checked with the priest and the priest confirmed to him that he offered the gold flowers at the feet of Lord himself last night. He expressed shock about the mud flowers. The same repeated following day.

gold flowers mud flowers

The King was upset and was about to punish the priest. Lord then spoke ‘through’ another priest that He was the one who rejected the gold flowers. Lord confirmed that He was the one who accepted the mud flowers instead. Lord also told him that the mud flowers were made by a potter named Bhimanna.

The king was shocked and was curious about what made Lord reject his flowers and accept other flowers. He wanted to find out what is in the mud flowers that the potter offered that Lord liked. He ordered his ministers to search for potter named Bhimanna. The team went around the town, and later spotted him right under the Thirumala hills.

King: So, you are the potter Bhimanna!
Bhimanna: Yes
King: At what time of the day do you go up the hill to offer ‘your’ flowers?
Bhimanna: I don’t have time to go there. I am busy making pots…
King: So, you didn’t offer flowers to Lord Venkateswara?
Bhimanna: No, not at the hill-top. However, I offer a flower to Venkateswara Swami’s deity that I made out of mud everyday in the morning before I begin making the pots, and another before going for lunch, one after lunch and a couple after I wrap up the work for the day. I make them with the same mud that I use for making the pots. When I offer the flowers, I seek His grace and blessing to accept my day as service to Him.
King: Shocked..

Lord saw in potter Bhimanna’s flowers were four ingredients primarily:

  • servitude
  • love
  • belief
  • dedication

What Lord saw in king Thondaman’s flowers was only one ingredient in multi-fold:

  • arrogance
  • arrogance
  • arrogance
  • arrogance

Thondaman is Mother Padmavathi’s father’s brother. Despite that, He never had any meal in the king’s place. Whereas Lord Venkateswara Swami visited Bhimanna’s home and had a meal on the mud plate he made. This is not a Story, it’s History!

Arrogance filled service pains Lord where as love driven service pleases Lord… It’s not any metal or material, it is the feeling that is contained in the metal or material that matters to Lord!

Janagam-lord-venkateswara-swami-abaya-hastam-HH-Chinna-Jeeyar-Swamiji

– From the address of HH Sri Chinna Jeeyar Swamiji
– Janagam, 1stJune 2020

Siddhanthi Sriman Krishnamacharya garu is overseeing the offerings and prayers to Lord Srinivasa at Janagam temple. A beautiful gold abhaya hastha, flowers made of silver, and inspired over 330 families to take part in nithya kalyanam of Lord. Swamiji expressed how well Krishnamacharya garu devotedly serves Lord and ensures that arrogance is never an ingredient in the service anyday.

Janagam-lord-venkateswara-swami-temple-HH-Chinna-Jeeyar-Swamiji
Janagam lord venkateswara swami temple devotees HH Sri Chinna Jeeyar Swamij
Janagam HH Sri Chinna Jeeyar Swamiji Sri Bhagvad Ramanuja

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