Ramanujacharya – Biography - ebooks - ISKCON desire tree

RAKSAKAMBAL'S FOLLYLater that day, Ramanuja went to persuade Kancipurnato take lunch at his house the next day. EventuallyKancipurna agreed, saying, "Tomorrow I shall break free fromthe modes of nature by receiving food at the house of a puredevotee."The next morning, Ramanuja instructed his wife,Raksakambal, that she should cook the very best preparationsto honor their exalted guest, Sri Kancipurna. At once shebegan to cook and before noon had prepared many differenttypes of food. Seeing this Ramanuja was very pleased, and heset out for Kancipurna's asrama to bring him to takeprasadam.Kancipurna could understand all Ramanuja'sintentions, and so he came by another way to his friend'shouse. When he arrived, he said to Raksakambal, "Mother,today I have to go to the temple very quickly. Please serveme with whatever is immediately available, for I cannot stayhere for more than a few minutes.""My husband has gone to your house to bring youhere," Raksakambal replied. "If you wait for a short time hewill soon return.""I am afraid I cannot wait here for a moment," saidKancipurna. "How can I neglect my service of Lord Varadarajajust for the sake of my stomach?"So Raksakambal arranged a sitting place forKancipurna and then with great attention served him all thedifferent preparations she had cooked. As soon as he hadfinished eating, Kancipurna stood up and cleaned the placewhere he had been eating with water mixed with cow dung. Heoffered his obeisances to Raksakambal and then quickly leftthe house, taking his leaf plate with him to discard at adistant place. Raksakambal gave away all the remainingprasadam to a sudra woman and then, after taking a bath,began to cook again for her husband.In the meantime Ramanuja returned home and was verysurprised to find his wife still cooking. "Did Kancipurnanot come here?" he asked. "Why are you cooking again? Whereis all the prasadam that you prepared this morning?""Mahatma Kancipurna came here" replied Raksakambal,"but he said that he could not wait for you, as he hadservice to perform in the temple. Therefore, I served himhis lunch and then gave whatever was left to a sudra woman.How could I serve you with the remnants of a sudras meal?"Ramanuja was very disturbed to hear his wife speak insuch a way. "You foolish woman! " he exclaimed. "How can youthink of Kancipurna as no more than a sudra. Because of youI am now unable to take the prasada of that pure-hearteddevotee, and this is my great misfortune" Having said this,he sat down unhappily with his head in his hands.39