The Temple Keeper and the Sleeping Man

Once there was a gathering of holy men and women in the courtyard of a south Indian Temple, which was maintained by Namdev, a great devotee of God. He could and would regularly go into the inner sanctum and talk intimately with the deity enshrined there.

Meanwhile in the courtyard, Jnanadev (pronounced yahna-dave), who was something of a rascal, was lining up all the other saints and sages for a fun game. “We’ll have this potter saint here,” he said, pointing to an old man leaning against the wall of the temple, “come forward and thump us all on the head and tell us as he goes along how baked we each are. The most baked one gets the first piece of cherry pie.” Everyone clapped, but Namdev, who thought the whole enterprise was frivolous and quite disrespectful to the sacred presence in the temple and the courtyard.

But he was ignored. And the potter saint began walking around bunking people on the head with a wooden stick and calling out, “Two-thirds baked,” “Half-baked;” “Three-fifths baked;” and so on. As the potter approached, Namdev turned and quickly strode away trailed by jeers and laughter.

He went into the inner sanctum and poured out his heart. “How can they joke about things like this?” he said, overcome with disappointment and humiliation. Then an inner voice spoke to him, saying, My beloved child, go out of the temple by the rear entrance, into the forest and out to the three gold hills that you know. There on the third hilltop you will find a wise one who will reveal everything.

Immediately Namdev ran into the forest, through the paths he knew and up to the three hills. He passed over the first and second, then slowly ascended the third gold hill.

At first it seemed no one was there. But when he looked more carefully he saw a rag-muffin sort of fellow lying on his back in the grass dozing. As Namdev slowly drew closer, he saw that the man’s bare feet were propped up on a Shiva-lingam, which is a smooth oval stone, a form considered by many a most sacred image of the Absolute oneness, of the divine. One does not even point one’s feet toward such an altar; perhaps in moments of great devotion, one’s head or hands might touch -– but NEVER one’s feet.

Quickly Namdev walked over to the Shiva-lingam, knelt down and ever so gently removed the sleeping man’s feet from the altar, carefully setting his legs and feet down onto the grass while trying not to wake him. But lo, immediately under the man’s feet -- there again was another perfectly beautiful Shiva-lingam. Quickly Namdev knelt and removed the man’s feet again shifting them the other way. Immediately another Shiva-lingam was visible under the bare feet of the sleeping one. Namdev put his head down on the ground next to the Lingam and lifted the sleeper’s feet, this time setting them gently onto his own head.

At that moment Namdev became one with everything and everyone. He was overwhelmed with joy and fullness. All the questions and answers about life he’d ever wondered were sparkling with wisdom like stars in the night sky.

How long he lay there beside the sleeping man, he never knew. A time came when he did get up and walk back to his own house, where he remained for two days off and on in blissful meditation.

At the beginning of the second night there was a knock at his front door. When Namdev opened the door, there stood the deity of the temple right at his doorstep. Where have you been, Namdev? You haven’t come to visit with me for some time.

“Oh, my Lord,” said the saint, “You’re everywhere always, and I know it. Thank you. Thank you so much. Won’t you please come in and have some chai.”

A Perpetual Fire

Here are some teachings from the Scroll of Leviticus, a scripture giving us guidance how to stay in touch with a sacred presence in our lives and to work together as a holy community.

O ye priests and priestesses,
Here is the burnt offering ritual:
Leave that offering on the altar through the night
Until morning while the fire of the altar (consumes it)

We offer ourselves, and wait overnight until morning
To see if we might be accepted into this sacred service
One more day

Dressed in linen
Carry the ashes of the burnt offering to the altar
In everyday clothes
Take the ashes outside the camp to a clean place
Sometimes your service is visible; sometimes invisible

Keep the fire in that altar burning; don’t let it go out
Every morning feed it with wood

Our passion for life is the fire on the altar
Daily we feed it with love given to us by The Beloved

Present your burnt offering
Turn into smoke the fat parts of the offering

The fat is fuel. With sincerity our offerings become the fat parts
And now the offerings are smokin’!

A perpetual fire is burning in the altar (of your heart)
It’s inextinguishable -- from Levicus 6.2-6

This selection from a Leviticus portion 6.1-8.36 known as
Tzav/Command

The Book of Tao reports:
When a great leader leads
People don’t know they’re being led
There’s an art to being an effective Commander

The first words of this portion begin:
Command Aaron and his sons ... -- Lev. 6.1