Chapter 69: Union with the Supreme Being

Shri Maharaji's Bhava Dasha

Venerable Shri Maharajji's bhava dasha, the state of awakened spiritual consciousness[1]was gradually becoming profoundly serious and his body was progressing towards weakness day by day.

sukhiyasabsansarhai,khaveaursovai|

dukhiyadaaskabirhai,jageaurrovai||

(AdohabyKabir)

Which roughly translates as:

'The whole world happily eats and slumbers but unhappy Kabir keeps awake and weeps.'

Shriji Couldn't Bear Separation from Krishna

Shri Maharajji was unable to bear even a moment's separation(from Krishna the Supreme

Lover). 

Union, an ardent longing for a profound meeting with the Divine was constantly intensifying.
An acute desire of his chinmaya deha[2], the spiritualised conscious body to unite with the Supreme Lover was escalating incessantly.

Tum Nikat Main Nikattum 

tum nikat main nikattum,yeh achraj k ibaat nahin|

'It is no wonder that thou art near but I am even nearer.'

Shriji mediated on this great Mahamantra[3]all the time.His spirit was yearning for union with the Divine.A dialogue was going on with Supreme Lover Krishna about this matter..Neither was there peace nor a solution.Lost in some divine realm,and absorbed in the deepest of searches Shriji was constantly agitated. Steeped in the Mahabhava[4] or Supreme Emotion, with an intense ardent longing to unite with the Divine, he was isolated and indifferent to everyone.

Dissatisfaction due to non-union, distress because of apprehension, a  search to  attain the heights of elation and ecstasy by uniting with Krishna had reached its zenith,and this had become a daily regimen.Two and a half months passed by in this manner.No solution to appease the mental anguish of Shriji was comprehensible. The followers of his parikar or inner circle of associates had no remedy for this state of his. Of course, they were pained to see him suffering the pangs of separation from Krishna.

River Jahnavi Gushing Forth

The gush of river Jahnavi[5]was surging forth so torrentially to meet ocean(Krishna)that one's gaze could not stay lodged in its current; assuming a gigantic form it just kept gushing forth. When some spray of its mist was sprinkled here and there it got powerfully noted on paper by Shriji's pen.

Shriji Yearned for Union with dark-hued Krishna

It is tough to say what this writing is all about.It would be better to call it unmada, an intoxication by divine madness.That writing is symbolic of the zenith of Shriji's union with the Divine,certifying the lives of rasikas[6]and invigorating their condition.In my opinion there are no written words nor any written piece which surpasses this compilation. However, mundane  words and meanings have  no reach there. There is simply no basis for anyone to estimate, typify or write about that condition where words and intellect have reached their culmination,where only the serious state of intoxication by divine madness is visible. Making an effort in that direction is a vain exercise.

Shriji made tireless efforts in noting down that condition and whatever he has written is worth seeing.We can neither call it an article of writing,nor a thought or expression of bhava[7]but an experience of feelings,which is inexpressible in words.

'parivadatujanoyathatathava

nanumukharonavayamvicarayamah

hari-rasa-madira-madati-matta

bhuviviluthamonatamonirvisamah|'

Intoxicated by Love for Krishna

"Let the garrulous populace say whatever they like;we shall pay them no regard.Thoroughly maddened by the ecstasy of the intoxicating beverage of love for Krsna,we shall enjoy life running about, rolling on the ground and dancing in ecstasy."

(Padyavali73)

When Shriji himself remained dissatisfied in his tireless efforts to talk about that condition then who else can succeed in doing so.

'rasikankaumaal,yahirasiyajanlehudehu,

atishayanukool,binadamankiloothai|'

which means:

'Those who have relished a bit of this rasa[8] have got the left-overs of rasikas,  those who have been touched by the fragrant breeze of rasikas steeped in this state of divine madness, and those eagerly desirous to relish its rasa, are the ones who can estimate its loot a bit.'

Shri Maharaji Taught us How to Relish Krishna's Rasa

This wealth has been left by Shriji for those very rasikas[9],sadhakas[10]and thirsting devotees.It would not be an exaggeration to say that deeply absorbed in  the Mahabhava,and by becoming a wave of the ocean of Priyabhava[11],Shri Maharajji immersed himself in the lap of Lord Krishna,the Ocean of rasa and Lord of Maharasa. It is the resting place of all those who have been great rasik saints.

'aadinaantviharkarendou,lalpriyameinbhainachingari|'

which means:

'Since eternity this sporting dalliance has been going on between the Supreme Lover and His Beloved without it being known as to who is the Lover and who is the Beloved.'

Then what is so astonishing about the fact that rasikas are forever dissatisfied.

In this state how can existence of the gross physical entity subsist.Even its can not touch that divine realm.The sole sovereignty of Divinity reigns supreme here.

Shriman Mahaprabhu got absorbed in that blue ocean of dark-hued Krishna by assuming the Mahabhava and attained the state of Mahamilan or union with Krishna, the Supreme Being.

Shriji's Union with Supreme Lover Krishna

This is the sweet tale of Shriji's union with Krishna,the Supreme Being. Cuddling the beloved in it slap, the ocean of rasa(Krishna) is throwing up lofty waves of ecstasy.A flood tide is rising in that ocean but this tide does not belong to Lord Krishna, but to ShriMaharajji, an embodiment of the Mahabhava and the river of rasa.This is the essence of rasa or aesthetic flavour of the selfless love of Shri Radha-Krishna! Nothing else surpasses this state.

Unable to control the escalating speed of the longing of his life force, Shriji’s a svarupa had reached its irrepressible zenith. It was mahamilan-mahamilan-mahamilan, grand union-grand union-grand uni\on, with Supreme Being Krishna for Shriji on the evening of 24^thMay,1995. It was a Wednesday, the day of Jyeshta Krishna Ekadashi.

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[1]     Bhavadasha: or spiritual emotion,is a state of communion withGod.It is related to the sub-consciousmind(chitta).When one’s spiritual emotion is awakened,one transcends one’s usual state of identification with a worldly existence and awareness of one’s own existence also reduces. Thus one transcends the little ‘i’ and identifies with the big ‘I’. Spiritual emotion gives us a spiritual experience of Bliss(Ānand)which is a state of superlative happiness but it is beyond happiness and unhappiness.

[2]     Chinmayadeha:body composed of consciousness

[3]     Mantra:incantation

[4] Mahabhava:is thequintessence of Prema.Radha is the personification of this Supreme emotion.Centred on the divine love of Radha and Krishna the worshipper is required to assume the nature, nuances and psychological state of Radha in her loving devotion to Krishna,this state is called Mahabhava or Radha Bhava.

    

[5]     Jahnvai:the daughter of Jahnu,another name for river Ganga

[6]     Rasikas;people moved by passionate religious devotion especially forKrishna

[7]     Bhava:love flowing towards the Lord

[8]     Rasa:aesthetic flavour of divine love

[9]     Rasikas:persons moved by passionate religious devotion especially for Krishna

[10]    Sadhakas:spiritual aspirants

[11] Priyabhava:There is no greater symbol to denote the longing of the soul in its quest for the divine than the longing of the nayika for her beloved. Centred on the divine love of Radha and Krishna,theworshipper is required to assume the nature,nuance and psychological state of Radha in her loving devotion to Krishna,this state is called the Priya Bhava or Radha Bhava .