Thursday, February 4, 2010

Chapter 15: Ushaji Resigns as Principal-Thakurji Ascertains That it is Time to Cast off Worldly Bonds

With tenderness and teasing, mischief and spontaneity, Krishna passionately draws His hungering devotees. A heart steeped in His madhurya or sweet love exuded through His acts and gestures, His words and His flute, His clothes and His sports can not be interested in the mundane.


Bobo ji's Yugal Sarkar, Shri Radha-Krishna

Shri Radha-Krishna the yugal sarkar or sacred couple were a witness to Bobo's activities and reigned over her devotional imagination.


Bobo ji was Drawn to Dark-hued Krishna

Ushaji was thirty years old, as of now. Singing the glories of Krishna, she felt like discarding all other social constraints.Isolation would often make her sit in close proximity to Shri Thakur in maun or a vow of absolute silence. The dark-hued god was observing her desire to move in a delicious anguish for union with her teasing, elusive and insistent paramour.


Yearning to Serve Krishna's Lotus Feet

Probably the matter dates back to September 1955 when He fixed the time span as one and a half years for her to be detached from all fronts. She could envision the idyllic and sensuous Vrindavan  where the lyrical Yamuna flows and the perfect landscape is besprinkled with the dust of Krishna's feet.



Perennial Quest of Mankind for Divine Love

The examination days seemed like decades. Often she mused,"Soon, I will be released from these refrains and spend time in attending to the needs of Thakurji. I will pester Him, cajole Him, adorn Him, pamper Him and develop an all-consuming intimacy with the Lord. For several years His loving tenderness helped me fulfill my responsibilities." Doing duties relegated by Krishna, she was focused on the perennial quest of mankind for a divine and transcendental love. Another birthday passed by in this process and her departure drew closer.

Possibly this was the last year and final session of her regime at the school. She submitted her resignation to the managing committee. It seemed as if lightning had struck. The matter was concealed and had just reached the teachers. Teary-eyed and perturbed they went to Bahenji. The committee made an indefatigable endeavour to convince her but in vain. Throngs of people headed towards her.Seeing love streaming down their eyes and their plight, she silently reassured them.

Slowly this issue leaked to the students. The whole lot ran from their classes and wept with sobs wracking their frames. The day had dawned with joyous ecstasy for Bahenji but had dampened several hearts with dejection. Hordes of girls ran to question Bahenji about her decision but could not muster courage on seeing her serious demeanour.


Shri Billavmangal ji & Child Krishna


It rarely happens that rasikas steeped in the love of the handsome god, who have relished the joy of Vrindavan's blossoming kunjas and winding creepers caressing the trunks of trees, who have savoured the tribhang for of Krishna, waiver from their stand. Shri Billavmangalji Maharaj affirms that compassion can impede those who want to live a life dedicated to Krishna, the colour of the condensed sky. 



Nature was Numbed & Chirping Birds Quietened

It was quite late. Bahenji got up and headed home. The sound of sobbing could be heard, nature was numbed and the chirping of birds was quietened.The satsang bhavan where leelas of Krishna had been narrated for ages, strived to attract her. The trees and creepers seemed to lament the painful separation.The empty classes, four-walled office and, chairs and tables posited there were silently grieved. As revered Bahenji got up to leave her saree got entangled in a shrub. It seemed as if the plant was trying to stop her with its spirited antic as the last resort.

The scene had not yet settled. Loving towards students,she was not merely a teacher but their sister, mother and a well-meaning friend. Along with education she sowed the seeds of spirituality and even those who were not inclined towards religious devotion were blessed by her presence.

The Shivalaya and enclave of five deities, who were familiar to her scurrying around, doing several parikramas and her proximity, watched stupefied.

Shri Lakshmi-Narayan

Resplendent in their temple, Laxmi-Narayan were visible in the Radha-Krishna form for her.Once fatigued she had come with devotees.Covering her with His patka or sash, Lord Narayan lifted her and took her into the shrine as Krishna.

The second day had dawned and everyone was wary about the outcome. One girl took up a banner and shouted slogans on assembling the students," Bring back Bahenji! You must give in,Bahenji." The campaign was led by Vimla Vaidh to Usahji's residence. An uneasy silence loomed, soon after.

Bahenji accepted their greetings and explained," I am here. All of you can drop in when convenient." Possibly this assurance succeeded in pacifying the surging resentment. Wiping tears, the girls left. A semblance of normalcy set in with this facility of interacting with Bahenji intact.

She was completely free from the workload of school now.The Sanatan Dharam Sabha had reluctantly accepted her resignation. Gradually her heart moved by the students' ardent entreaties was also calmed. Time was usually spent in Shri Thakur Seva and in recounting His divine play. She had never been interested in idle gossip.

While invigilating students who came to study, she saw a scene with eyes wide open." The girls were giving their examination when she sighted a new dalliance of Radha-Krishna simultaneously.


Handsome Krishna Doing Shri Radha's Shringar

"You,(handsome Krishna) were engrossed in doing Shr Radha's shringar while she was thrilled by your touch. After adorning and making Her go into a trance, you enacted several beautiful dance mudras to captivate Her. But these sakhis are no less shrewd and they caught You red-handed. The cowherds also spotted your secret move but gullible as they are, could not grasp a thing."

Reflecting on God and sighting His divine play is not destined but a matter of personal experience. Saints invariably see the dark-hued god wherever they look. Therefore her body, mind and eyes were apparently invigilating the students while relishing the amorous frolic of Radha-Krishna alongside. This joyous abandon can not be assayed by logic and neither does a man with inhibitions have any stand here.


Shri Vrindavan

One fine day seeing her passionate longing for Vrindavan her father opined," You can go to Vrindavan but return in two days." She wanted to clarify that it would be tough to do so once she left but he would misunderstand. However it struck her that it was a perfect chance to depart hurriedly. .

She reflected," I have never done anything stealthily. I will leave for Vrindavan in the presence of everyone and only after taking permission." The eldest, she shared a friendly rapport with her father due to her mature perspective. Once he made her promise," You will not go to Vrindavan as long as I am alive. And take me along, in case you do ."Gullible at that point of time, she had conceded. Even on coming to Delhi, she thought of returning to Ambala. 


Supreme Lover Krishna

Being naive she firmly believed that if one had hiccups someone very dear was missing you. All of a sudden she remembered Krishna, the Supreme Lover and the hiccups stopped. Her absent-mindedness transformed in to the deeper ecstasies of devotion.She wondered, " Does He truly remember us or bear us in mind?" But there was no need of any proof as of now.

Sunday, January 31, 2010

Chapter 14: The Revolutionaries' Change of Heart & Salvation of a Horse


 
Shri Madhavacharya's Philosphy of Shudh Dwait or Pure Dualism

In the theory of dualism happiness is linked with sorrow and the forces of good and evil are balanced in this mundane world. Where hope and longing are harbingers of joy, adverse conditions do not seem delightful.In case everyone becomes modest, wealthy and noble, the entire play of the world's creator would be futile.


Violence & Nonviolence

Violence and non-violence are two ends of a constant cycle according to the principle of evolution. Those who are vulnerable and unknowingly head towards evil, repent on becoming conscious of this fact(Most people are of this disposition).


Shri Usha Bahenji's Loving Tenderness

Elders believing in highly restrictive conventional norms, the youth influenced by modern perspectives, spirited boys stepping into adolescence, young children and even infants were irresistibly drawn towards Usha Bahenji's magnetic persona. Each felt that Bobo's affection was reserved exclusively for him. Usha Bahenji distributed Krishna's loving tenderness with a generous hand. Eminent men would certainly be impressed by her simplicity, sentimentality, good-hearted, calm and compassionate nature, which exuded a sense of affinity.


Lord Vishnu Resides in our Heart

Once a learned brahman of the Sanatan Dharam Mandir in Ambala Cantonment saw her horoscope and foretold, "Lali! Society will throng to you even if you are secluded in a forest." Having implicit belief in Radha-Krishna and completely relying on them-she expressed the in-dwelling Vishnu by ecstatic and evocative expressions of love towards all.

She strongly advocated non-violence but during her tenure as a principal she had to punish children. Thrashing was not in her nature and she would make them stand up at times. On doing so, she entreated," God,I have taken this step merely for proper functioning of the school and the student's improvement." On some pretext she continued to stand for that time span.


A Donkey Blocked Their Way

Her gentle disposition was apparent in every act. Once while journeying a donkey blocked their path obstinately and would not budge. The writer pelted a small pebble which the donkey hardly felt since he was so used to being beaten. Bobo was furious and said that Vijay had hurt her in the process. Affirming that she would not drink water for the day,she wept and had to be placated.


Returning from Delhi by Train

Once it so happened, that she was returning from Delhi with her father by train. Some young men shared the compartment and bragged about tales of their courage.This event occurred after India's independence when people fumed with indignation against the British Rule and insurgency surfaced off and on.

She listened and when they calmed down, managed to make them her own with logical reasoning. The unruly elements were indeed ashamed of their deeds.

Meanwhile they arrived at Ambala Station and revered Bobo got ready to get down. One of the young men offered her a dagger and resolved," Bahen it is a matter of great pride to have great personalities of the likes of you in our nation. We will never err from today onwards. Kindly accept our token which you will probably need sometime."


Presented a Dagger

Seeing the weapon, she explained," Bhaiya I am never going to use this. One should be such a powerful upholder of non-violence that people are influenced; voicing your opinion comes much later."

The youth insisted," You must accept it as a symbol of the turning point in your brothers' lives." People saw the dagger safely stashed with her later on. The question of bringing it into use did not arise.


Deliverance of a Horse's Soul


A Tonga

The matter dates back to around 1975. Revered Bobo was returning from Krishna Nagar in a tonga. Sushila Bahenji, Darshan and Vijay accompanied her. When the carriage drove a bit further than Birla Mandir, the horse's soul earnestly entreated her for its salvation.The tonga rider drove with joyous abandon with the horse's soul facing Ushaji alongside.Bobo was moved by loving compassion. Everyone got down and headed home on reaching Vrindavan. Bobo sent Vijay to find out about the black horse's condition.


The Robust Horse Attained Deliverance

They had come to know earlier that the tonga belonged to Mathura. The robust horse was well nourished and the spirited driver was a denizen of Braj.The very next day when Vijay inquired, its driver revealed that the horse was very costly and the owner would religiously attend to his needs. Not having the slightest inkling of how the sturdy horse gave up its life with no earlier illness, they were in a state of shock and its owner was deeply grieved.

When Vijay narrated this scene to Bobo she revealed the entire incident to Sushila Bahenji, Darshan and Uma.