Prem Sudha Dhara: Omiji

(Page 83)

Chanting His Name Pleases Lord Krishna

Sri Hari

JangalKatti Sri Vrindavan Dhaam

8th May 1960

Dear Omi,

With love, Jai Sri Hari.

You stopped me a thousand times from writing but I simply did not abide by your wishes and reverted back. So what is the news at your end? Hopefully you are not on a hunger strike as of now. My attention is repeatedly drawn towards you. May the Lord enable you to patiently bear these adverse circumstances with good sense prevailing. Bhaiya, at times I am deeply concerned for all of you which you can not fathom! But helpless, I have no choice.

Karam kathin kuch dosh na moho!

All this is inevitable and thus God lets it occur. Undoubtedly actions ordained by him are perfectly auspicious and everyone's salvation is underpinned in this implicit belief. I am fond of you and therefore take a tough stand.

Revered mamaji dropped in today. He affirmed that there is nothing greater to chanting the Lord's name. The metaphorical search of the impassioned soul for union with God is centred within that region in the heart, where God is ultimately found. By smarana or a concentrated internal practice of God's name the devotee is given the supreme fruition of reading scriptures, doing satsang (songs of a devotional nature) and all other virtuous acts. Truly Omi, reciting his name is immensely comforting. Shunning other thoughts, concentratedly focus on the Lord's name. In case this is not feasible ask the divine and saintly to impart its essence to you.

Crossing the threshold of awareness, urge one another into complete absorption in the joy of Krishna that does not require his human presence. Ardently call out to him; Krishna exists intensely in our hearts when we sing his praise and dwells in our longing for him. Endorsing this Vaishnava doctrine, mamaji related a devotee's experience. You must listen to the tale.

Once a devotee was passing by Nandgaon when he came across a friendly ghost who was virtuous. The spirit revealed that Shyam Sunder comes to graze cows in the deserted forest nearby and to have his darshan. Now the bhakta was intensely desirous to sight the Divine Incarnate. Hearing this revelation who would not move in delicious anguish for a glimpse of the Lord? The devotee went to the forest and frantically peeped in the bushes as if God was hidden within. Several days passed by but Shyam Sunder was nowhere to be found.

Deeply dejected, he became weak with the passage of time. One day the devotee's condition deteriorated considerably. Meanwhile, a lad about ten-eleven years old, clad in tattered old clothes came to him and asked,"Baba, why do you weep, making yourself miserable. Are you certain to sight God by starving? He is whimsical and can not be attained by being stubborn. Only when he wants, he can be contacted. Listen to me and eat this khichdi ( a dish of rice and pulse boiled together with ghee and spices); constantly chanting the Lord's name which inevitably pleases him".

The lad's voice was ethereal and the feeble devotee listening to his advice, ate the khichdi. But the lad vanished as soon as he ate. Soon after, it dawned upon the bhakta that it was the Supreme Being himself whom he had failed to identify. He had descended to reveal the glory of the Lord's name and its underlying loving tenderness.

Ever since, the devotee did japa religiously (reciting incantations). Later on, how God delighted his devotee by interacting with an all-consuming intimacy who knows! The Lord endorses the japa of his name even on giving darshan. Hence brother, the glory of the Lord's name is eternal. Taking refuge in it invariably frees one of all sorrows.

With Love,

Yours Bobo.