Diseases - Curse or boon?

Diseases  - Curse  or boon?

By

P.R.Ramachander

(This is  based on posting of my face book friend Bhanu Ravi. Thanks to her )

Diseases  are a  curse   to those   who love their body,

For it makes them controltheir  toungues  as well as desires,

But to those     who  love   only god  , it seems to be a boon,

For it makes them  pray  and beg God to get cured.

Narayana Bhattathiri   wrote  Narayaneeyam,

To get   get cured  of his rheumatism   and became great,

Narayana  THeertha   wrote   Krishna  Leela  THaringini  ,

To get cured   of the great  stomach  pain he had.

Vasudeva Gosh was able   to see Krishna Chaithanya ,

AS he was praying to get   cured  of his leprosy,

SAnathana  Goswami  was   able   to get complete love,

O f Chaithanya  Maha Prabhu  due to the rashes in his body.

All of us   got the   great Vishnu   SAhasra  Nama ,

From Bhishma  due to his  lying on bed of arrows,

WE also got   Bhagwatha  from sage   Shuka  ,

Because Parakshith happened to die  by a snake.

WE are able  to chant the  great  stotra of Mruthyunjaya,

Because  the  sage Markandeya  hugged the god to get rid of death,

WE all got the   great epic     of Ramayana   from Valmiki,

Because   he was  unable to see  , the  sufferings  of Sita.

Just because   diseases   induced   these great ones  ,

Leave behind them the   religious gems , we need not invite  disease,

But  You   should never  become  a sorrowing weak one before it,

For  diseases affect   your body but  not your soul  which is always pure.

Never  allow   diseases   of body to rule over you  ,

Because   what   determines your mental health is devotion,

Try  to prevent  occurrence of diseases by leading disciplined life,

And if they come ,  turn your  mind towards Gods and saints.

Never  get dejected  because of sickness,

Do not hate  life    because  of sickness,

Call  God for help and learn to live  with sickness,

For He would bless   you to lead a  healthy life.