Revered Manohar Das ji
All of you will be
very pleased to know a that a compilation of motivational letters written by
revered Baba Manohar Das ji (Venu Vinod Kunj, Vrindavan)is going to be
published. The sweet form of spiritual rasa which revered Baba poured into
these letters with his affectionate brush has been attained by us as ‘Madhur Patheya[1].’ We have been getting the closeness and holy
company of revered Baba for the past more than 50 years. Although Baba was
mainly connected to the parikar[2] of
Venu Vinod Kunj but he had come into contact with and become extremely close to
Bhaktimati Shri Usha Bahenji and her parikar since 1959-60. That is why he was
known as ‘sabke priya sabke hitkari
bhaiya,’ ‘saintly Bhaiya doing good to members of Bahenji’s parikar and
loved by all of them. He would keep writing spiritually inspirational letters
to us bahenas from time to time. You will get to read how we bahenas, detached
from the mundane world, should meditate on the Divine in letters related to
means and end .
Some members of our inner circle of devotes, particularly Anil Bhatnagar,
Vipin Aggarwal and Minaksh Aggarwal, insisted that Baba’s letters should be
collected from everyone and published so that his showing us the path of
attaining the Divine and satprerna,
inspiration to realize the Ultimate Truth, is available to us throughout our
life. Everyone got together and appealed to revered saint like Sushila Bahenji,
who has been the right hand and the very life of Bhaktisvarupa[3]
Usha Bahenji, to make this possible. She happily gave permission for the
publication of these letters.
Shri Santosh Bahen ji
Prem Piyush Dhara’
and Prem Sudha Dhara,’ two books on compilations of letters, have been published
by Brajnidhi Prakashan. Similarly ‘Prem
Rasamrit Dhara,’ the third link in this chain, a new compilation of letters written
by revered Baba Manohar Das ji is being published.
‘Prem Rasamrit Dhara has two parts
Pratham
Pravah: Lila Anushilan[5]
Venu Gitam-During the
priceless moments of sadhtana in his hut on Suraj Ghat while revered Baba
meditated upon Venu Geet [6],
he had done translation of the Sanskrit commentary written by eight acharyas in
his own words. I got to acquire this translation from somewhere. In ‘Prem
Rasamrit Dhara’ we have added the implied meaning of Venu Geet in
understandable Hindi which has been given in the 21st chapter of the
10th canto of Srimad Bhagwat by Gita Press Gorakhpur, so that it can
be understood by ordinary sadhakas. Therefore we are very grateful to the
respected editor of Gita Press for having made this interpretation of the
bhavas easily available for everybody.
2)Van Te
Braj Aavat
When the cows have finished grazing, gopis relish the
beauty of the Supreme Lover with thirsting eyes as He returns home at the hour
of cowdust. Revered Baba had reflected upon and written about this lila and given the write up to me years
ago.
Dvitiya
Pravah-Madhur Patheya
The compilation
written by revered Baba(approximately 108 letters) is presented in front of all
of you as Madhur Patheya. In the beginning we have letters addressed to revered Krishna Anuragini Sanosh Bahenji, the
beloved of Krishna; all of them are relishable and laden with the rasa of lila.
Thereafter we have letters written to respected Darshan Bahenji, Usha Bahenji
and Vijay Bhaiya. Revered Baba has acquainted us with bhajan pranali, the method of confidential bhajana which is useful
for sadhakas leading a totally detached life. Revered Baba has watered the
sadhaka with his ras amrit as per the level of the spiritual aspirant.
For sadhakas leading
a detached life Baba has poured the nectar of spiritual instructions which is
beyond moh maya or attachment to the mundane world, wherein the aspirant has to
do austere spiritual practice and constant Naam
Smarana/Smaran by chanting God’s Name in the mind.
The
loving message that Baba gave to householders who took care of their families
was that they should seek the refuge of chanting God’s Name by constant naam
smarana which was capable enough of making them attain their spiritual goal.
There was no need for them to undertake any austere sadhana or spiritual
practice.
At times when Baba would feel
that we were inattentive (on the spiritual path) we were even scolded sweetly.
Finally I do hope
that all sadhakas, right from the ordinary to higher levels, and viraktas or
those detached from worldly affairs will certainly benefit on relishing this Madhur Patheya. Furthermore, I hope
that they will strive to walk on the path to spiritual self-realization, shown
by revered Baba.
'Prem Rasamrit Dhara'
I pray to the Yugal
Sarkar (Shri Radha-Krishna) that they keep her in good health so that she can
give us satprerna, inspiration to
realize the Ultimate Truth and guide us on the path to union with the Divine.
Staying under her protection, we brothers and sisters are progressing on the spiritual path.
Moreover, I am
grateful to all those who have given me their respective letters to be
published and to those brothers and sisters who have helped in completion of
this task in whichever way. Although all of them have been close to Shri
Manohar Das ji and recipients of revered Baba’s mercy but even then I wish that
Baba’s causeless mercy and affectionate grace keeps being showered on them
along with me for all times to come.
Spiritually inclined
intellectuals should kindly correct any shortcomings which have been overlooked
in this compilation.
Rasikjan
Kripakankshini [7]
Dr Santosh
Gupta
M.A.Ph.d (HIS)
Retired
Principle
Rajkiya Mahavidyalaya,
Hodal Haryana
`
[1]
Patheya: sweet provisions for our spiritual’s journey
[2]
Parikar: inner circle of devotees
[3]
Bhaktisvarupa: embodiment of bhakti
[4]
Santosh Bahenji: The waters of
Jhelum abound with love tales of Laila Majnu and Shiri Farhad. Born in a Sikh
family of these environs of Kashmir and impressed by Gandhi's principles,
Santosh Bahenji, daughter of an affluent father, got Shaligramji from a sage
when she was very young. Longing for Krishna In 1942, she came to the holy site
of Vrindavan at the tender age of 19 and met great saints like Sri Sri Maharaj
ji, Bobo ji & Sushila Bahenji who influenced her life. Sarla Bahenji was
her constant companion.
'Sri Krishna Anuragini Santosh
Bahenji' was published in 2005 and showcases her experiences with Shri Bihari ji,
Vrindavan, Yamunja ji, the Yugal Sarkar of Saint Ushaji and the parikar in Vrindavan. She
left for Gaulok on 3rd August 2004.
[5]
Lila Anushilan: in pursuit of Lord Krishna’s lila or divine play
[6]
Venu Geet: The Venu Geet
or Song of Lord Krishna's Flute Play is a compilation of 20 shlokas in
the tenth canto of Shrimad Bha gwat. Shri Manohar Baba's moving commentary on
Venu Geet in 'Prem Rasamrit Dhara' helps us imbibe the essence of Krishna's
message given by the song of his flute play.
[7]
Rasikjan Kripakankshini: desiring the favour of Rasikas
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