The “Rolling” Ambiguity

Bhagawan’s play of words in the Sri Sathya Sai Avatar was not new! He had done so during the Krishna Avatar too. Here is an example. Swami narrated this story in His discourse given at Prashanthi Nilayan on November 24, 1961.

There was a great saint in Kerala five centuries ago, named Bilvamangala. With his devotion, he was able to beckon Lord Krishna whenever he wanted. One man who suffered from chronic stomach-ache heard about this, and pestered Bilvamangala to find out from Lord Krishna whether he will have relief from the pain. Bilvamangala agreed and when Lord Krishna appeared before him, he asked him the question. Krishna replied, “When the rolling stops, it will cease.”

The ambiguous reply of Lord Krishna led to several interpretations. The desperate man interpreted it to mean, “when he stopped rolling in pain.” Not satisfied with the reply, he left Kerala and decided to proceed to a holy place to meet a holier person.

Bilvamangala interpreted the Lord’s answer to mean that he had to suffer this trouble due to the result of his previous births’ actions. He took rolling to mean, “rolling from birth-to-birth”.

On the road to Kasi that the man took, he came to a free feeding place run by a pious woman known as Kururamma. When she saw his agony, she spoke to him kindly. He told her that he had decided to drown himself in the Ganga, for he was told there was no escaping the consequence of past sins. Kururamma gave him the holy mantra, “Gopijana Vallabhaya Namah,” and asked him to repeat it. She said the Name would cure him completely. The poor man uttered it when the attack occurred next, and he was surprised to find that the pain had gone! Yes, gone. Though he pounded his stomach, there was no pain.

He finished his pilgrimage to Kasi, returned to Kerala, and fell at the feet of Bilvamangala, who asked about his ache. When he was told that it had disappeared, he called on Krishna and asked what he had meant by “rolling”.

Lord Krishna said he had meant rolling in this objective world (prakriti) and its changing phenomena. When the man lived in the name of God and had no other thought, the rolling had ceased; the Name and the chain of destiny cannot exist together. This was a revelation even for Bilvamangala.

Source: Sri Sathya Sai Speaks, Volume two, chapter 26, 24/11/1961.