THE ETERNAL AND ULTIMATE MAN

"Among munis I am Ved Vyas" (verse37, chapter X Bhagvad-Gita) Lord Srikrishn says. Sage Ved Vyas repeats in Purans that one can claim to have counted all the atoms present on earth but not that one has known God completely. Realization of self, establishes realization of God. Lord Srikrishn however, has always been a cynosure of yogis and bhogis alike.

What makes Lord Srikrishn so popular in all times and climes? He is appealing to all. For bhogis he is an ideal bhogi and for yogis he is a matchless yogi. That he is matchless is a truth. He assures that whenever righteousness suffers he descends to establish dharm and penalize the evil ones. History proves that from time-to-time some enlightened souls have emerged as leaders to rectify the erring masses. Lord Srikrishn does not belong to India but to the entire cosmos. In all parts people have experienced divine visions and voices guiding and strengthening them to march on. Be it Mohammed, Moses, Jesus or other western saints. It is the divine inspiration that turned ordinary mortals into saints.

Demonstrations by Buddha

Buddha is mentioned in Purans as an incarnation of Lord Vishnu. He opposed Brahmanism, which had become a cause of exploitation of ignorant masses by the greedy and ignorant priests. Direct experience and observation of events of life alone enlightens an individual. Buddha proved this. Once he sent  his two disciples to roam around and observe the world. One disciple was asked to stay with a prostitute and the other one asked not to even look at any female. The first one quietly obeyed him. The second one was in quandary. He could not understand why Buddha had allowed the first one to stay with a prostitute. He began to think that Buddha was partial and allowed the first disciple to enjoy with the woman. After the prescribed time both the disciples reached back. The first one looked as carefree and blissful as he was earlier was but the second one looked wilted and confused. The two disciples were before the guru. Buddha asked about their experience. The first one placidly narrated that the prostitute had become a chaste woman and wanted to be initiated into sadhana by Buddha. The second one had no spiritual experience because he kept on contemplating and fantasizing the life of his brother disciple with the prostitute. Now he knew the difference between him and his brother disciple.

There is another tale that once floods inundated a village and people felt helpless before the calamity. They came to Buddha and asked for the solution. Buddha smiled and said that if a chaste woman entered the river water, the flood will recede. Many decent ladies who considered themselves pure and religious entered the water but the flood did not recede. People became susceptible. Buddha then asked a prostitute to enter the water. As she prayed to God and entered river with eyes closed, the water began to recede. The masses were agape. A woman who had been degraded as fallen, had proved her superiority over the socially respected ones. Buddha asked her to disclose the secret of her purity. She disclosed that her circumstances had forced her to take up the profession. But she believed in God profoundly. She always served the client with the spirit that God himself had come to her in that form. Spirit is the essence of earning fruit of action, not the action, Buddha proved.

The most difficult question is what is sin? Lord Srikrishn's answer is the simplest. "What purpose would arid learning and collection of information serve? I am sustaining the world only with an iota of my immense power."(Verse42 ChapteX Bhagvad-gita)

"Think of me, surrender to me your mind, intellect and all actions and this way you shall attain me. I say with veracity. Renounce all theologies and conflicts. Take shelter into me and I shall redeem you from all sins, worry not. "(Verse65-66 Chapter XVIII, Bhagvad-gita).

"Love me and I shall not ditch you ever" is his promise. Any one can try it. His words are full of veracity and esoteric meaning, which one begins to realize as one begins to test him.

Veracity of Bhagvadgita

Once upon a time there was a pious Brahman who loved Lord Srikrishn dearly but reeled in poverty because of the actions done in the past life. He doubted Lord Srikrishn's words -'Yogkshemam vahamyaham' enshrined in Gita. This simply means that - who surrender their ego, mind and intellect to me and love me with purity of heart, I bear for them their all requirements material and otherwise.'  The Brahman thought that how could Lord Srikrishn himself bear the material things for his devotees. He is after all, Lord of Universe and no porter. He therefore, struck the words with his pen and instead wrote "Yogkshemam dadamyaham'. This means -'I give my devotees all things they need'. The Brahman as usual, went out for collecting alms, which was his only means of livelihood.  He did not get much in alms that day and was disappointed. But being a believer in Lord Srikrishn, he was content and did not fret. When he reached home, he found his wife cooking delicacies for the family.   The Brahman was amazed, as when he left home there was nothing to cook in the kitchen. He asked his wife who had brought all these things to her. She stared at him in surprise. "Don't you know that? She asked. "No" replied the even more surprised Brahman. "Strange, indeed. A tiny boy had delivered the entire ration for cooking, saying that you had asked him to take the things home" the wife replied. The Brahman was shocked. He had got nothing in alms. How could he send any one with such bountiful ration?  He asked her to tell the details- what the boys said and what he looked like. The lady said, -"He was a sweet child and perspiring with the load of ration. He also bled from his forehead. When I asked him what made him bleed, he said better ask your husband he had given me this wound today morning". The Brahman fell into a swoon. His mind divulged that the boy was no other then Lord Srikrishn himself who had been wounded for he had struck down his words enshrined in Gita.

He doubted the words of Lord Srikrishn but Lord Srikrishn proved that he is aware of all and everybody. His words are no exaggeration but a promise, which anyone can test.

Chaitanya the Mahaprabhu

At Nawadwip in West Bengal there lived a pious learned man named Adwait Acharya. Seeing indulgence in wine and goat sacrifice in the name of worship of Goddess Kali, he would often pray to Lord Srikrishn to descend to enlighten the masses. Lord Srikrishn never ignores prayers. On 4^th February, 1486 a sweet boy was born to the pious couple named Jagannath Mishra and Shachi. Being born after death of eight sisters he was named Nimai. Being very fair in complexion, he was also named Gaurang. His maternal grandfather presaged that he would be wiser than Brihaspati and would spread divine love.

The charming boy whose antics resembled greatly with Lord Srikrishn’s was later on named Vishwambhar, which implies, -'the supporter of universe.’ His knack to steal curd from neighbor hood, breaking of pots and wont to clasp the feet of his capturer to beg to be off reminded all of baby Lord Srikrishn and out of that spirit only generous neighbors would let him off.

On growing up, Vishwambhar taught Sanskrit and married Lakshami the daughter of famous Lord Srikrishn devotee Vallabh Acharya. After she died of snakebite, he married Lord Vishnupriya. Having claimed victory over others in discussions he was acclaimed as scholar.

Ishwar Puri, a Vaishnav monk and disciple of Madhava Puri who first introduced Lord Srikrishn's cult among sannyasis of Bengal, initiated him into bhakti. This turned him into a lover of Lord Srikrishn.

As if inebriated with divine wine, he could no longer do teaching. All he could utter was, -“Lord Srikrishn!” as tears of ecstasy streamed from his intoxicated eyes. His pupils also followed him and chanted ‘Lord Srikrishn Hari!’  Thus began a journey and a new chapter in the life of Gaurang. His infectious delirium to roll on the ground exhorted all to chant the name of Lord Srikrishn. Adwaita Acharya when learnt of this, narrated to his students that the previous night he heard a voice telling him, -Rise up. Your prayers have been fulfilled. Lord Srikrishn’s chant will be held all around. Thanks to your devotion! All will see the perfect Brahman’s form, unique in the world’. He told that he saw Vishwambhar who soon vanished from the sight. Hearing him revealing this, all devotees, steeped in delight began to chant, - ‘Hari!  Hari !’

Whoever came in touch with them became a bhakt. Two infamous drunkards Jagai and Madhai also got transformed into pious Brahman after meeting him.  One Mohammedan also   became his disciple.Haridas and Nityanand were two most devoted ones among his pupils. To promote bhakti he decided to renounce the life of a householder. When his mother learnt that he intended to be a sannyasi she swoond as her elder son had also become a sannyasi at the age of sixteen. She implored him to stay home and spread sankeertan. Nimai comforted her by ensuring that there will never be separation between them. He however, secretly went to Keshav Bharti, shaved off his head and received initiation as a monk amidst chanting of, -“Hari bol”. Being a live wire of Lord Srikrishn consciousness, he was named Lord Srikrishn Chaitanya.

An intense surge of devotion led him to go to Vrindavan. His disciples rather took him to Ganga to the house of Adwait Acharya. Having lost the sense of place and route, he asked Adwait , -“How did you know that I was at Vrindavan?” Overwhlemed with divine love, Acharya replied, -“It is Vrindavan, wherever you are!”  His pupils brought Shachi there who enjoyed cooking for him and his devotees who purified the land with the chant of –“Lord Srikrishn! Lord Srikrishn! Hari! Hari !” Shachi’s pleading that if he turned a sannyasi, she would prefer death moved him and he assured her that he would live wherever she bade and do her command.”

Both of them embraced each other affectionately.  Nimai used to fall down on earth while chanting fervently. Such was the tenderness of her love that Shachi prayed to Lord Srikrishn that may her son never get hurt when he fell on earth in divine delirium.  Chaitanya asked his followers, _ “I have become a monk but will not desert you all and my mother. Find a way so that I can be true to both my duties.”All asked Shachi to show a way out. She expressed that he should stay at Nilachala (Jagannatha Puri), which is close to Nawadwip so that she could see him often. The filial son obeyed his mother and amidst heart-rending tears and chants of Lord Srikrishn, Chaitanya bade farewell to all to go to Nilachala.

When one feels oneness with cosmic consciousness, the entire cosmos becomes one’s divine abode. Reeling in divine bliss and begging alms, the humanly extension of Lord Srikrishn reached Remuna and bowed before the image of Gopinath. The surge of devotion turns stone into pure energy. Gopinath blessed his devotee and showered a bunch of flowers from his crown over his chosen sibling. Having been blessed thus, Chaitanya danced and chanted for hours in the temple. He spent the night desiring kshirprasad from his lord of which he had heard from his guru Ishwar Puri. Lord Srikrishn is known there as stealer of kshir as he once did so for his one devotee Madhavpuri.

Long back, Madhavpuri visited mount Goverdhan. Sitting under a tree near Govindkund he fasted quietly in expectation of food from his Lord alone. A boy came to him and said. -“Puri! Drink this milk. What are you thinking about?” The bemused Puri asked, -“Who are you and how do you know that I was fasting?” The boy replied, -‘I am a cowherd of this village. None can remain fasting here. I carry food to those who do not beg. I’ll be off now to milk my cows but shall come for my pail later.”

Madhav Puri drank the milk and dozed off. In dream he saw a boy who led him to a bower and said- "I live here, suffering from cold and rain, wind and sun awaiting you! I am Gopal the uplifter of Govardhan. King Vajr, the guardian deity of this place installed me here. Bring me out now!” Saying so, he vanished. When Madhavpuri awoke he delightedly rolled on the ground. When he came to to his senses, he called people and told about his dream. One rich Kshatriya built a temple there and bhog began to be offered regularly. One night Gopal appeared in his dream and said, - "I am burning! Get me sandalwood paste from the Nilachala and cool me off!"

Driven by his Lord’s command and intense devotion, Puri traveled and met Adwait Achary in Nawadwip who also became his disciple. Then he reached Remuna and saw Gopinath in temple. He learnt about the bhog to be offered to the Lord Srikrishn. Having witnessed Lord Srikrishn’s concern for him, he thought, - “If I could get a little kheerprasad unasked, I would establish it as bhog for him.” With his silent supplication before the lord, he left the temple. Priests of the temple put Gopinath to sleep after Arti.

Lord Srikrishn appeared before the priest in his dream and said, -“Get up and open the door. There is a pot of kheer under my poshak. Take it out and give to Madhavpuri in the marketplace.” The astounded priest found the kheer hidden under the flowing poshak of Lord and walked through the market, crying, -‘Madhav Puri take the kheer. For you Gopinath hid it under his poshak. Take and eat it, the luckiest man!’ Puri was bemused. His lord had proved his concern for him. He revealed himself and bowed to Lord in reverence.

Madhav Puri told the tale of Gopal to servitors at Jagannatha temple and collected sandal and camphor. At night again Gopal said to him, -"Madhav! I am content. Anoint Gopinath with sandal and camphor daily. Gopinath is one with me. Hesitate not and give up the sandal as I bid you." The servitors obeyed him.

Chaitanya told this tale to his followers and said, -“How blessed was Madhav Puri! Lord Srikrishn accepted sandal at Remuna to save him from traveling to Vraja in the time of mughal rule. Such immense is Lord Srikrishn's love for his devotees! Impossible is to know the ways of Lord. “Steeped in delight he sang -"O Lord! Gracious to the lowly! When will you come to me? Darling mine! My heart pines to see you. What shall I do?" He rolled and fell on ground.

Chaitanya was driven to night long dancing and singing to hear the tale of Sakshi-Gopal from Nityanand. He became a touch-stone , that turned worthy souls into lover of Lord. Searching for brother Vishwarup he reached South India. Thousands of people turned into vaishnavite, inspired by him. Chaitanya embraced a lepor at Srikurmam in Andhra Pradesh and his leprosy vanished. People adored Chaitanya as incarnation of Lord Srikrishn and chanted 'Hari Bol!'

A devotee of Lord Srikrishn Ramnand Ray met Chaitanya and discussed the dalliance of Radha and Lord Srikrishn, which transported Chaitanya to the supreme realm of divine romance. He exhorted him to narrate the deepest love of Lord Srikrishn for his queen Radha. "A divine stream of elixir is flowing down your lips. Narrate how Lord Srikrishn abducted Radha for fear of interruption by gopis; for a love that extends to others than the beloved, is not deep enough. If you can show that for Radha's sake, Lord Srikrishn openly forsook other gopis then I shall know that how passionately he loves her."

Ray reeled in delight and replied, -"Listen, how glorious is the power of love. No one in the three spheres can emulate Radha in love. Lord Srikrishn broke away from the circle of Maharaas and wandered through the woods, searching for his Radha. Radha on seeing him dancing with gopis felt belittled and went away in anger to sit under a tree all alone.

 Lord Srikrishn grew restless and left the circle and roamed here and there, struck by Cupid's arrow as thousand million gopis could not satiate him. Such was Radha’s love!" Chaitanya asked him to divulge further the secret of Maharaas. "What delights Lord Srikrishn most is his Aahladini Shakti, remembering whom he gets overwhelmed. Lord Srikrishn is delight himself and yet he tastes delight through her. The essence of Aahladini is love. Love is a tale of the emotions of bliss and consciousness. The supreme emotion (mahabhava) is the quintessence of love. The queen Radha is the personification of that love," explained Ray. Chaitanya said,-"This is the culmination of spiritual quest. Tell me the way to attain it." Ray spoke, -"I speak as you make me, without knowing what I say. The play of Radha and Lord Srikrishn is extremely deep and cannot be understood from the dasya, vatsalya and other moods. The sakhis alone are qualified for it. Such devotees can practice devotion in the form of attending on Lord Srikrishn and Radha in their secret bower. There is no other means of mastering this form of devotion. A sakhi does not long to play with Lord Srikrishn all by herself; but she feels a keener delight in Lord Srikrishn's dalliance with Radha. Radha is the wishing creeper of love of Lord Srikrishn and sakhis are the leaves, flowers and shoots of this creeper! Earthly lust seeks sensual gratification for one's own self. Gopis seek Lord Srikrishn's enjoyment, shedding off identity of self. One whose heart is lured by the nectar of Gopi's passion adores Lord Srikrishn giving up Vedic means. Having taken on ourselves the attitude of gopis we daily meditate on Lord Srikrishn's dalliance with Radha. In the ethereal body we meditate and serve him and in the next birth we gain Radha-Lord Srikrishn's feet by being born as sakhis." They embraced each other and wept. Their divine delirium continued for a few days. Then , Ray beheld Chaitanya as Lord Srikrishn and Radha incarnate and swooned at their parting. Chaitanya touched him and brought him back to senses. "You know fully my essence and mysterious exploits (Lila). My body is not fair but my present complexion is due to contact with Radha. She touches none except the Prince of Cowherds. My acts are not hidden from you. Even if I conceal, you would know it by the compelling power of love. Keep to yourself this secret. I am a mad man and so are you. We two are exact match." Chaitanya murmured.

In Vrindavan the place named as Imili-talla stands proof of Chaitanya's sport. Under the ancient tree of Tamarind, he used to sit and chant, reliving the incidence of dalliance of Lord Srikrishn and Radha during Maharaas. Hurt and angered, Radha had disappeared from the circle and shed tears all alone on the shore of Yamuna. Lord Srikrishn on finding her missing sat under the Imili (tamarind) tree and meditated upon her. The feeling of oneness with her turned him into a fair Radha. Radha was spontaneously drawn to him and as she touched him, he regained consciousness, opened his eyes and turned into dark Lord Srikrishn. He promised to her that to publish this event he would come back on the earth as fair complexioned Gaurang. Chaitanya used to sit under this tree

and  rejoice deeply recalling the past event.

It is said that Buddhist conspired against him and gave him a plate of dirty rice as Lord Vishnu's prasad. Just then a huge bird swooped down and carried the plate in its beak. The plate fell on the Buddhist professor's head, cutting it open and throwing him down in a fit. His disciples sought forgiveness from Chaitanya who exhorted them to chant Lord Srikrishn's name.

A devotee of Lord Srikrishn used to recite Gita with errors in pronunciation. People scoffed and laughed at him. Chaitanya asked him what meaning did he draw from the reading? The man said, -"I am an ignorant man. All I see is Lord Srikrishn driving Arjun's chariot as I open the book." "You alone are worthy of reading Gita as you have got the essence of it. ": said Chaitany and embraced him.

In Dandak forest, he embraced a saptatal tree and the tree disappeared. People marvelled and cried that he was an incarnation of Lord Vishnu indeed.

Chaitany turned millions of ordinary men into devotees of Lord Srikrishn. Two brothers Rupa and Sanatan of royal lineage of Bengal became his main disciples as he proved supremacy of love to Lord Srikrishn over all other forms of arid rituals.  Lord Srikrishn's grace descended through Chaitanya over millions who felt blissfully enlightened by reciting his name and dancing in joy. Thus spreading free love to Lord Srikrishn, Chaitanya one day vanished from the sight of all in the temple of Jagannatha at Puri.

Mira who floored men's pride

India is a nation, which has experienced major upheavals and drastic changes in social values. Ancient Indian women enjoyed highest status and freedom. They not only had the right to choose their husband in swayamvar but even polyandry was a respected relationship. Purans and epics such as Mahabharat reveal that even married women enjoyed this right. Damayanti, an extremely beautiful lady organized her swayamvar when she was the mother of two children to explore her lost husband king Nal. Polyandry and Polygynae were respectable relations in the ancient Indian culture. People were enlightened and respected the God in females equally as in males. With the deterioration in spiritual level of men, plight of women worsened, reducing them to mere subjects of consumption in various ways. God was considered a separate being seated in heaven. With the distancing of God from the heart of self, ignorance gripped the minds of men. Hierarchy came into force and women turned into creatures meant to procreate and entertain men.  A spiritually bankrupt society lives on superficial considerations, immaterial for a spiritually awakened soul. People live a hypnotized life where clash at every level smothers life. The valiant tiger, which a human being is, consequent upon spiritual evolution, is reduced to the status of a meek lamb groaning under the burden of imposed restrictions resting on the hidden interest of a particular class of people.

Even now this country is replete with contradicting cultural practices. In certain parts, polyandry is socially acceptable, but in most of the areas women are still treated as chattels. In some parts married women are allowed to have extramarital relations and husband has no right to question it. Polygynae is also acceptable in some parts. The reasons of these practices are either some ancient boon or curse or simply economic. India has heaven and hell both in terms of quality of life. But majority of societies are male dominated. But Lord Srikrishn's faith empowered an Indian woman to such an extent that she boldly challenged men folk and destroyed their ego through falling in love with Lord Srikrishn openly.

Known as Mirabai, her poetry is lore of absolute fearlessness and unflinching love to her chosen divine lover.

Born in 1504 AD at Kuraki in Rajasthan she lost her mother at a very young age and was brought up by Rao Biramdev Singh; the elder brother of her father Rao Rattan Singh along with his son Jaimal at Merta as her father mostly remained busy in warfare. Mira saw her kingdom of Merta being destroyed by enemies twenty two times in her lifetime, etching the impression of ephemeral nature of royal life in her mind. Her cousin Jaimal prepared to be a warrior to win back the lost kingdom of his father. Mira imbibed qualities of bravery and spirit to strive in his company. Her grandfather Rao Dudaji was a valiant warrior and an extremely self-respecting man. He was a devotee of Lord Vishnu and built a temple of Lord Vishnu, known as temple of Chaturbhujaji. Mira enjoyed dancing in the temple right from her childhood.

When she was very young a sadhu visited her home. Mira felt enamoured of the idol of Lord Srikrishn the sadhu owned. She asked him to give her the idol but the sadhu refused. Later on Lord Srikrishn appeared in the dream of the sadhu and exhorted him to give his idol to Mira. Lord Srikrishn thus reached close to Mira when she was just a little girl. It is said that once a barat (procession of groom's party) was passing by. Mira asked her mother as to who her husband was. The mother in a lighter vein told her that Lord Srikrishn was her husband. The little girl accepted her words as an edict etched in the rock. When she got married at the age of twelve to Bhojraj, the second son of Rana Sanga of Mevar, her husband Lord Srikrishn also accompanied her. Her marriage was performed to serve the political interest. The Rathore clan of Jodhpur was enemic to Rana Sanga. Due to marriage of Mira, the Rathore clan of Merta started fighting against Rathors of Jodhpur. Her father and cousin Jaimala laid the supreme sacrifice of their lives while fighting on behalf of Mevar because of their relationship with Rana Sanga.

Mira had to face humiliation by her in laws as her father enjoyed an inferior status against the Rana. She also had a clash with them as their religious faiths varied. Her in laws were shaivaites and worshipped eklingnath as Lord Shiv. Mira came from a vaishnavite family. Soon after her wedding, she refused to worship Goddess Kali who was the family deity. She also raised her voice against sacrifice of animals to please the Goddess. The Uplifter of Mount Govardhan had stolen her innocent heart. She composed ditties in his love."Why should I marry a man who takes birth and dies? I shall marry only the dark skinned Lord Srikrishn who would immortalize my wedding" was the call of her heart. Her revolting attitude made her an eyesore to her in-laws. Her habit to spend time in singing and dancing to please Lord Srikrishn was unbearable to the orthodox relatives. The critical and harsh treatment she received from her in-laws further inflamed her yearning to receive the love of Lord Srikrishn. The lord was however, not so easy to please. He tests the devotee too toughly. He professes in Bhagvat Puran that I take away all possessions from those devotees whom I love the most. Deprived of all mundane powers and engagements they are left to focus their love on Lord Srikrishn alone.

The verses of Mirabai expressed her anguish towards Lord Srikrishn for having deserted her in this world after enamouring her. She considered Lord Srikrishn her husband while in Indian society a married woman is supposed to consider her husband as an incarnation of God. Her faith and lifestyle became unpalatable to others. Bhojraj expired after five years of marriage. Mira was just seventeen years of age when widowhood dawned upon her. But she had not an iota of sorrow in her heart for she had never accepted the wedding with Rana as her choice. It was a social formality that had happened. Mira accepted that her lovelorn eyes were addicted to the charm of handsome Lord Srikrishn."O mother, my eyes are addicted to the beauty of dark skinned Lord Srikrishn. In my heart his lovely face has been etched so deep that it has taken me completely over. I have been standing for long awaiting his arrival in my abode. My life is merely a waiting for the lovely Lord Srikrishn. Mira has sold herself out to this Uplifter of Govardhan while people say that she has gone crazy." She composed.

Mira considered saint Raidas, a cobbler by profession, as her guru against the dignity of a royal family,  adding insult to the injury of her proud in-laws.

Rana Sanga had twenty-eight wives. After his death his son Vikramdity ruled over Mevar. He disliked Mira's devotion to Lord Srikrishn and her association with sadhus who were after all, men. It is said that once a hypocrite sadhu came to her and said, -"Lord Srikrishn had asked me to sleep with you." Mira agreed. She prepared a bed in front of all sadhus and invited him to come up. The sadhu was ashamed and begged pardon of her. The royal family resented her mingling with sadhus. Mira was a lady who did what appealed to her irrespective of what others said and thought. Her strength was her purity of heart to Lord Srikrishn, the basic condition Lord Srikrishn stipulates before all. Any hypocrite can never take him for a ride. The women who envied Mira instigated Vikramaditya and he tortured her in many ways.Poisonous snakes were issued in her room. The snakes did not harm her nor did she fear them. The Rana then decided to poison her. He sent the poison to her saying that it was charanamrit of God. Mira drank it and was not affected by it. This surprised all. Her poetry expressed the spiteful treatment she received from her in-laws after the death of her husband, - "Mira dances with bells round her ankles. People say that Mira has gone mad, mother- in- law says that she is a blemish on the family. The king sent the cup of poison to her but she laughed to drink it. Mira has surrendered her body and heart to Lord Srikrishn and has experienced his immortal vision. The Lord of Mira is the Uplifter of Mount Govardhan and she takes refuge only in him."

The news also reached Merta. Her Uncle Rao Biramdev was alive and sensing danger to her life in Mevar, called her back. This happened around 1534 AD. Bahadurshah a mughal king attacked Mevar the same year after Mira left for Merta. One thousand three hundred women including queen Karmavati the mother of Vikramditya who poisoned Mira gave up their lives in Johar to save their honour. People believed that God punished Rana this way who had tried to kill Mira by poisoning her.

Mira was a childless widow. The custom prevailing for women in that time was that a widow could enter her parental home only after visiting a holy place. Mira therefore visited Lord Srikrishn temple in Dakorji in Gujarat. She stayed in Merta for sometime. But her uncle also objected to her association and devotion to sadhus. Mira was suffocating. Rathores of Jodhpur attacked Merta. Mira had to leave Merta and wander in Ajmer, Ranathambore and Malava with her uncle and cousin. She finally decided to leave for Vrindavan with her friend Lalita where she could live for Lord Srikrishn alone.

Around 1538AD Mira reached Vrindavan. She roamed around in temples searching for Lord Srikrishn. At that time Shri Jiv Goswami dwelt there. Being the followers of Chaitanya he longed to meet Lord Srikrishn as a gopi discarding his manly status. Lord Srikrishn's dalliance with Radha was the soul of his devotion to Lord Srikrishn. The followers of his cult beheld themselves as sakhi of Radha and worship the divine couple. This sentiment transports them to the divine realms of Golok. After massive destruction of temples by Muslim rulers, the Bengali devotees and pupils of Chaitanya restored the present day Vrindavan. Mira wanted to meet Jiv Goswami. When Goswami learnt of her arrival, he refused to see her as he shunned women. Mira was an iconoclast. She sent him the message, -'I believe that in Vrindavan only gopis of Lord Srikrishn dwell. Lord Srikrishn is the only man that dwells here. Today I learnt that one rival of Lord Srikrishn also lives in Vrindavan." On receiving the message, Goswami felt ashamed of him and welcomed Mira with utmost humility. She thus demolished the false pride of ignorant men who although worshipped Lord Srikrishn as a Gopi failed to shed their manly pride.

Mira stayed there for some time, steeped with the divine love of stealer of her heart. The anguish of her searing heart however, did not vanish. She expressed her woe in words. -"O, my friend! I long to suffer and sear! No one understands my suffering. Only an injured person can appreciate the plight of another injured one. Only a master values the precious gem not the one who has lost it. I pine severely and wander here and there in search of a curer of my anguish but found none. My anguish would disappear only when Lord Srikrishn comes to me as a curer."  She could hear the flute of Lord Srikrishn echoing at the bank of river Yamuna and sang-"The flute is resounding at the bank of Yamuna. The lore of flute has stolen my heart and I feel impatient. Lord Srikrishn is singing, Lord Srikrishn is playing flute and Lord Srikrishn is flowing as river Yamuna. To hear his flute my body and mind has been stupefied. The entire body has become lifeless. O, Lord of Mira! Come soon to remove her anguish". Her ditties reflect her unbearable suffering. She could not stay there for long and decided to stay in Dwarka to pursue Lord Srikrishn.

A maudlin Meera reached Dwarka and began to live there in the temple. Her devotion to Lord Srikrishn made her a polestar. When she danced before the idol of Ranachhor Raiji (Lord Srikrishn) people thronged to catch a glimpse of her. She had completely renounced the world and longed to be one with God. No one could understand her anguish, which made her pine all the time. Lord Srikrishn was her love, her husband who had deserted her after giving sweet memories of a blissful association and played the cruel game of hide and seek with his poor lovelorn servant. Women are expected to move as per the wish of their guardians all through their life. Mira was young and beautiful and defied authority of all openly. She sang the songs of love for a man who was just a character of mythology. Who could believe that she even though was a mortal was besotted in the love of a man who was no mortal being? Mira longed to sleep with him and meet him at midnight on the bank of a river flowing flooded with the elixir of love. Who could believe her?

Mevar was now under the rule of another son of Rana Sanga named Uday Singh. He respected Mira who was his sister in law. He sent his purohit (family priest) to bring Mira back but she refused. The priest sat on hunger strike. Next day her friend Lalita made her up as a bride and renounced her body by drowning in the sea. Mira was not willing to go back. She prayed to Lord Srikrishn to accept her.  The next day she told people and priests that she would obtain permission from Lord to go back .She went in and prayed. No one saw her coming out. Only her cheer (upper shawl) was seen hanging on the shoulder of Image of Lord Srikrishn. Lord Srikrishn had proved his words enshrined in Bhagavad-Gita chapter IX, verse-34  "The devotee with unwavering love to me can even become one with me only through love".

Mira proved that she was no mortal woman made of flesh and bones but a spirit steeped in the love of her lover Lord Srikrishn. The barrier between God and human being was absolutely wiped off by the two lovers. Mira was a revolt unto herself. She was an example that pure love and devotion to God can transform a human into a spirit, as pure energy invisible to mortal eyes. The bliss people experience in singing the ditties composed by this greatest of great ladies transports them to the heavenly realms where Lord Srikrishn and Lord Srikrishn alone becomes desirable and lovable.

Ramkrishn Param Hans

Born to a puritan couple named Khudiram and Chandrikadevi In February 1836, in West Bengal with the blessing of Lord Vishnu, he was named “Gadadhar” i.e. the “Mace - Bearer” in memory of Lord Vishnu. His sweet pranks reminded of baby Lord Srikrishn and made him a darling of all.

At the age of six, while walking along the field, on seeing the sky covered with dark clouds with a swarm of white cranes flying across, such contrast in nature threw him in such divine ecstasy that he swooned. Villagers spotted him and brought home. Later he recalled it as a trance of ineffable joy. On seeing the demise of father at the age of seven, the fragility of earthly existence got etched in his mind.

             At the age of nine, having been invested with the sacred thread in yagyopavit he became eligible to worship his family deity Raghubir, his favourite task which gave him opportunity to read and rejoice in various epics.  Once while playing the role of Lord  Shiv on the occasion of Shivratri he entered into a trance. His beaming face, tearful eyes and insouciant gait enthralled the audience. The show had to be stopped as his trance lasted till next day. Gadadhar then organized his own troupe, as he grew fond of performing the roles of God particularly Lord Srikrishn with his gopis. He at times longed to be born as a woman to feel the intense love of Lord Srikrishn. At the age of sixteen his elder brother took him to Kolkata to pursue studies and earn a living.

Gadadhar, sensed the need of the hour that the contemporary Hindu society, groaning under foreign rule, needed spiritual awakening. A rich shudra lady Rani Rasmoni whose favourite deity was Mother Kali purchased land in Kolkata and built a temple. She appointed the elder brother of Gadadhar as the priest. Gadadhar began to live with his brother. The son in law of Rasmoni named Mathur Babu wanted him to be the priest but he showed reluctance to religious rites. Meanwhile Hriday, a distant nephew of Gadadhar also joined him. On request of Mathur Babu, he agreed to perform as a priest, helped by Hriday. To initiate him in the rituals of worshipping Kali, a Brahman whispered the holy word in his ear. As inflammable substance is devoured by fire on being torched, so did Gadadhar, overwhelmed with divine delirium, uttered a loud cry and plunged into trance.  Being an intense and liberal devotee of divine mother he expressed his incompetence to do rituals. Having witnessed his exalted level, Mathur Babu insisted him to be the priest of mother Kali. Gadadhar’s elder brother breathed his last soon after this.

Feeling enmeshed in the all-pervading presence of divine mother he longed only for her vision. He would go to the woods and cremation ground and pray to her. Oblivious of arid rituals, he would sing devotional songs in front of the image and shed tears in silence. The divine mother was soon moved and descended to express her affection to her worthy son.  Unaware of this, the esurient lad felt as if his heart was being squeezed. Great restlessness overpowered him.  Determined to put an end to his life he picked up the sword. Suddenly mother revealed herself. Everything vanished and he saw shining billows rushing to him with terrific noise from all sides. Panting for breath, he swooned. A steady flow of bliss and the sense of the presence of the divine mother overpowered him. When he regained consciousness, the first word on his lips was “Mother!”

His longing to see mother all the time grew more. He would stand motionless before her, cry bitterly in solitude and supplicate heartily. He would see flashes of fire-flies, sea of deep mist and then mother rising from the mist. She would stand before him with flowing hair and he would hear her anklets jingling. The temple authorities sought the help of physicians to cure the priest, but failed.

Gadadhar planted five sacred trees in the temple garden and named it Panchavati.  The priest used to feed the divine mother’s idol with his own hands and mother would accept it miraculously. Once the young priest fed the food meant for divine mother to a cat. This was reported to Mathur Babu who did not mind it knowing fully well his lofty spiritual state. The priest disclosed that he beheld and saw mother everywhere.

Once, Gadadhar began to suffer from burning sensations in his body. A dark complexioned man appeared, seemingly projected from his own body, followed by an ochre robed monk holding a trident who killed the dark man in a vision. After this, Gadadhar was cured of his burns.

When he began to worship Ram with himself as Hanuman, he jumped like a monkey. Sita blessed him and descended into his body with a smile. Even Mathur Babu began to doubt his sanity. Once while the queen Rasmoni listened to the young priest he abruptly stopped and slapped her. The queen took it as the wrath of the divine mother, as at that particular moment, she was cogitating over a lawsuit.

To bring him back to the state of ordinary consciousness, Mathur Babu spoke to him, giving an example of the laws of nature, where flowers of two colours do not grow on one branch. The next day Ramkrishn presented to him two Hibiscus flowers one red and one white growing on one stalk. Nature had endorsed the actions of her enlightened son.

Confounded, Mathur and Rani took his bizarre behaviour as a consequence of rigid continence. They, therefore, sent two women to lure him.  Seeing the divine mother in them, he swooned. A cousin of Ramkrishn named Haldhari tried to inculcate a doubt in his mind that God is not comprehensible to the human mind. The maudlin priest then cried before the divine mother to guide him if his experiences were mere illusions or real. In response, he saw a man with flowing beard in the mist rising from earth that said, -"Remain in bhavamukha, on the threshold of relative consciousness." This vision reassured Ramkrishn of his own state.

His mother wished him to get married. The son was twenty-three years old and showed some improvement as he meditated regularly in a cremation ground. Sardamani, a little girl of five who prayed to God to keep her untainted, was suggested by the youth to be his spouse. However, their marriage always remained unconsummated at the physical level.

Despite being youthful and married, the divine delirium of youth grew on. To remove untouchability based on caste he cleaned a pariah's house with his long hair. He would go in deep meditation and birds would peck in his hair, snakes would crawl over his body and he would remain unaware of both. Mathur Babu took care of his body inspired by the divine mother.

A Brahmani, who was an expert in Tantra-Shastra and found the baby Lord Srikrishn entrenched in Ramkrishn, joined him. She explained that only Chaitanya and Radha had an experience of mahabhava. She called a number of wise men and established him as an incarnation of God, as described in the scriptures. Ramkrishn was amused to learn that he was no mad man but a channel of divine bliss. At the bidding of mother Kali, he accepted the Brahmani as his guru and learnt the sixty-four principles of Tantra in three days.

He saw a vision of a huge luminous triangle giving birth, every moment, to infinite new worlds. Hearing Om in Anahata chakra he acquired eight supernatural powers of yoga, which make a man omnipotent, but he renounced them. He had a vision in which a woman of exquisite beauty emerged from the Ganga, approaching the Panchavati. She delivered a child, nursed it tenderly and very next moment assuming a terrible aspect, seized the baby with her grim jaws and crushed it. Swallowing it she entered the Ganga.

He experienced awakening of kundalini at muladhar and its serpent like movement up to Sahastrara with all lotuses blooming on the spine. The awakening of kundalini ended in its unification with Lord Shiv seated in the Sahastrara and he entered into samadhi.

After mastering Tantric sadhana Ramkrishn followed the Brahmani in Vaishnav sadhana, which is a practice of love to Lord Vishnu or Ram or Lord Srikrishn. The image of baby Ram became a darling son for Ramkrishn.  He revealed that the image of Ramlala used to dance with him, jump on his back, insist on being taken in his arms, pluck flowers from the bushes and play pranks like a naughty boy. The sadhana ended with a vision of Lord Ram who showed his all-pervading cosmic consciousness.

Ramkrishn then devoted himself to Lord Srikrishn. Mathur provided him dress and jewelry of a gopi and he became a lovelorn Gopi of Lord Srikrishn. Day and night he wept bitterly like the lovelorn gopis. Lord Srikrishn would tease and taunt and vanish anytime. Ramkrishn who experienced burning sensation, an oozing of blood through pores, a loosening of joints and stopping of physiological functions, turned to Radha to please Lord Srikrishn. She appeared and disappeared into his body. He told his disciples that it was impossible to describe the beauty and sweetness of Radha. She appeared completely oblivious of herself in her passionate attachment to Lord Srikrishn. His body experienced all nineteen emotions for God called mahabhava. Feeling oneness with Radha, he craved to be one with Lord Srikrishn.  Impelled by the call of Radha, Lord Srikrishn appeared and merged into him. Thus he attained perfection in worship of personal God.

One day while listening to recitation of Bhagavata Puran he fell into a divine swoon and saw luminous rays issuing from Lord Srikrishn's lotus feet as stout rope, which connected the Bhagavat and his chest. He thus realized the oneness of God, scripture and devotee.

Mother Kali now inspired him to practice Vedanta under guru Totapuri. Totapuri who headed seven hundred sannyasis after having trained himself for forty years at the bank of river Narmada and believed in non-duality of Brahm, discarding personal God and outer worships as mere illusion, arrived at Dakshineshwar in 1864. He accepted Ramkrishn as his pupil and secretly initiated him into sannyas. Ramkrishn was unable to concentrate on absolute formless Brahm as mother Kali stood in his way. The Guru stuck a piece of glass between his eyebrows and asked him to concentrate on it. As soon as he did so the form of Goddess Kali appeared before him. This time he mentally cut the image into two halves and the last barrier fell off. His spirit soared beyond the relative plane and he got lost in samadhi for three days. The guru was aghast, as his disciple had attained in a single day what took him forty years of strenuous practice to achieve! The rover who never stayed at one place for more than three days had to stay at Dakshineshwar for eleven months to learn something from Ramkrishn. After experiencing nirvikalp samadhi Ramkrishn realized oneness of Brahm with Maya. The mother Kali asked him to remain in Bhavamukha the borderline between the Absolute and the Relative. He was to keep himself on the sixth centre of Tantra.

Once the duo discussed Vedanta. One person came and took a coal to light tobacco from the sacred fire lighted by the guru. The guru flew into a rage and was about to beat the man. The pupil laughed and remarked. -"You are telling me the reality of Brahm and illusoriness of the world; yet you have forgotten yourself as you are about to beat a man in a fit of rage. The power of Maya is indeed inscrutable." The guru was embarrassed. He got an attack of severe dysentery and failed to concentrate on Brahm, as his body did not support. Having decided to drown the body in Ganga, he walked into the river. Mother Ganga however, did not allow him to embrace defeat. He walked upto the other bank and did not drown. Was there not enough water? He thought. As he looked across the river he saw divine mother all around-as body, as sky, as river, as Brahm. Totapuri learnt to realize Divine Mother as all pervasive power and prostrated before her image.

The Guru departed leaving the pupil in samadhi for six months. He afterwards adopted Islam and in three days saw Mohammed merging into him in year 1866. In 1874 he began to practice Christianity and cried before holy mother. Rays of light issued from her and entered his body. On the fourth day he saw Jesus coming to him. He embraced him and merged into him. Later he professed that God is the same as water but Hindu, Musalman and Christian call it in different languages by different names.

He visited Kashi where he saw Lord Shiv breathing into ears of each corpse the mantra of liberation and the divine mother removing the bonds from the dead. In Vrindavan he saw Lord Srikrishn being taken by Vasudev across Yamuna at Dhruv Ghat. Lord Srikrishn also spoke to him in dream. A woman saint of Vrindavan named Gangamayi, who used to go in trance often, saw Radha in him.

He brought a handful of dust from Vrindavan and scattered in Panchavati. In 1870 he went to Nadia and swooned to see Chaitany and Nityanand dancing there. They came to greet him and merged into him.

In 1872 his wife Sharda came to see him. Ramkrishn arranged special worship of Goddess Kali and instead of image placed Sharda Devi on the seat of Goddess. He performed her shodash puja as prescribed in Tantra. He presented an example that husband and wife can live together as spiritual companions. One day while stroking his feet Sharda Devi asked him as to what did he think of her?

"The mother who is worshipped in temple is the mother who has given birth to my body and it is she who is stroking my feet at this moment," replied the blissful, enlightened husband.

After some time a youth named Narendra Nath Dutta came to see him and sang him a hymn-“O my mind, go to your abode. In the foreign land of this world, Why to roam uselessly like a stranger?"

Shri Ramkrishn fell into an ecstatic mood. He longed to see Naren again and cried at the top of his voice-"O my darling! Come to me. I cannot live without seeing you." He held his hand, sobbed and said-"Lord! I know that you are the ancient sage Nar, an incarnation of Narayan-born on earth to remove miseries of mankind." Naren however, took him as a madman and did not believe him. But after one month he again visited him. The master made him sit beside himself and placed his right foot on his body. All of a sudden Naren felt his individuality vanishing into cosmic consciousness. "What is that you are doing to me? I have my parents at home," He cried. "All right. Let it rest now. Everything will come in time." Replied the master. This experience transformed Naren and he began to perceive his spiritual mission.

Ramkrishn divulged later on -"One day in Samadhi I saw a portion of the luminescence of saptarishis (seven celestial sages) coalescing into the form of a child. The child clasped his little arms round the neck of one sage. The sage gazed at him. The child said-'I am going down. You too must go with me.' The sage remained mute but his face expressed his assent. I found that a shred of his body and mind was descending on earth in the form of an effulgent light. As I saw Naren I recognised him to be that sage."

In the middle of 1885 Sri Ramkrishn developed throat trouble ending in cancer. It was the month of August1886. Naren stood beside the master thinking-'He has said many times that he is an incarnation of God. If I can make him say now as he is in the throes of death, in the midst of human anguish and physical plain, 'I am God incarnate, then I will believe him." The moment this thought came to his mind, the master turned to him and said, -"O my Naren, are you not yet convinced? He who was Ram and Lord Srikrishn is now Ramkrishn in this body.”  Naren was agape.

A few days after this on the 16th of August, 1886 a thrill passed through the body of Sri Ramkrishn, hair stood on end, the eyes became fixed on the tip of the nose, and he entered into an eternal trance, becoming a spiritual beacon for the humanity.

Lord Srikrishn says in Bhagavad-Gita verses 6-7 Chapter X that he is the originator of saptarishis (seven celestial sages) whose luminescence descended on earth as Naren who came to be known as Swami Vivekanand and electrified the audience in the World Parliament of Religions in yr.1893 in Chicago.

Lord Srikrishn's grace has been descending at all time and clime wherever needed to fulfill his promise of redeeming the eligible souls and penalizing the evil ones.

His effulgence is eternal for eternal beings that get enmeshed in the whirlpool of mundane drudgery. Wherever and whenever, one strives to liberate oneself, his grace laps up all responsibility of ensuring it. Lord Srikrishn bears the yog and kshem for all his deserving siblings.

Lord Srikrishn Descends to take my Mother

My narration of His all encompassing grace will remain incomplete if I do not add my most convincing experience witnessed by others in January 2006. My mother told me that at the time she expected me, my maternal grandfather who was initiated into the Lord Srikrishn cult by one of the masters residing at Tateeya Sthan in Vrindavan in the lineage of Sri Chaitanya Mahaprabhu foretold about the birth of a girl belonging to Lord Srikrishn cult. Even though she did not know Sanskrit she was inspired to read Bhagwadgita just before my birth. Needless to say by the time I was able to read, Bhagwadgita was enshrined respectfully in the family temple where the entire family performed pujan twice daily. I loved reading it .Many subtle experiences kept on occurring which were too personal and I did not share them except that such messages and visions reinforced my faith in him. My mother too used to receive divine messages and always knew the future events coming in the lives of all her children. She had experienced calls from death several times in life, which she succeeded to overcome by prayers. By the time she was seventy two year old, she had begun to pray for her departure. In response, she had a night watch in which Sri Chitraguptji; the Chief Secretary who maintains record of good and bad deeds of all Creatures appeared before her. He wore a blue long dress and told her-“Two files belonging to you are yet to be completed.” She told us about this. During the month of December, 2005 she began to feel difficulty in breathing, as she was a chronic patient of malfunctioning of lungs. She had to be hospitalized in Intensive Care Unit on 26^th of December, 05. The level of carbon di-oxide in her blood had gone to 96% and she was put on machines to give oxygen and extract carbon di oxide. In the morning of 27^th December I sneaked into the I.C.U. and found her in almost in the state of coma. Her mouth was ajar, body cold and bluish finger stiff and when I placed my hand upon her head she did not respond. The nurse who tested her blood told that the level of Carbon di oxide was still 90%.

This day was Ekadashi. Lord Srikrishn has professed in Bhagwadgita that among dates, he is Ekadashi. Expecting well her departure but definitely not the way she was, I went to the nearby Lord Srikrishn temple and placed her case before him. “The body with which I have performed many tasks of my choice belongs to her for she has given me this. Whatever good deeds have I done with this body I transfer to her account. Let her enter your lok peacefully. But before she leaves her mortal coil, please show her your divine vision so that she could die blissfully” came a spontaneous prayer from my heart. He alone could help us, I knew. I fasted and prayed. By eleven o'clock she gained consciousness and doctors declared that she could go any time so let all her kith and kin see her. She wanted to meet all her children, grandchildren and close relatives. All of her relatives met her and she looked thoroughly shaken. She continued in the I.C.U. on machines only. I made it a point to chant daily Lord Vishnu-sahastranama and entire Bhagwadgita for fulfilment of my prayer. On 29^th when I met her she was sitting on her bed with oxygen mask and looked restless. She wiped my tears and said- “Those two files are over. Huge darkness descended around me but now it is gone..all is over...” “Fine, forget all as all are perfectly fine and just focus on Lord Srikrishn. Say -Jai Lord Srikrishn!” I said and she repeated the holy name of Lord Srikrishn. I came out. As all family members met her she told them several things concerning them and looked concerned about all. Her restlessness and state of delirium continued for another one day. This shaken state was not the proper state of mind for her as she was due to go. I followed my routine all the time.  She was brought outside I.C.U. on the evening of 29^th Dec. But her state of mind was such as she did not allow any family member to move away from her. Her attachment to all was unbelievable. On the 30^th, my sister in law gave her gangajal infused with a mantra from Durga Saptashati and with that the bluishness of body began to disappear and she entered a peaceful state of mind chanting only God’s name for hours. This pacified all. She was on oxygen yet very peaceful and focused on God.. On 1^st Jan, 06, I went to see her. It was ten o’clock. I put a Tulasi bead around her neck, pasted sandalwood paste on her forehead and showed Bhagwadgita with a picture of Lord Srikrishn on it, as she saw me she signalled me to remain quiet. Folding hands before Lord Srikrishn, she began to gasp, well prepared to discard her body. I began chanting the auspicious mantra of Lord Srikrishn, -“Lord Srikrishn Sharanam Mum” into her left ear saying-“Go peacefully, blissfully. Lord Srikrishn, your guru and father, all are with you, fear not.” As she was still in the hospital doctors rushed her to I.C.U. again. “It was a cardiac arrest and even a thirty seconds’ delay would have finished her”, declared the doctor. My sister in law who was with her since morning told us that around nine’ clock in the morning she had told her –“I have only one hour left”. Meanwhile all dead relatives have been coming to see her, she had been telling.

The sacred Purans proclaim that if Tulasi bead, sandalwood paste and Bhagwadgita are placed on the body of a dying person, one goes to the abode of Lord Srikrishn. This is what I tried to ensure. Her condition was critical but treatment was not working so doctor advised that she could be taken home. On the evening of 2^nd Jan, 2006 she came out of I.C.U. She was reeling in joy and laughed and laughed to surprise all. “O, the long awaited moment has come. Disturb me not.” She exclaimed with eyes closed as if in delirium. Later she told Lord Srikrishn was sitting right in front of her on her hospital bed.

Exactly seven days of prayer fulfilled my wish. I met her again on the evening of 4^th Jan, she was blissfully lying in her bed chanting Lord’s name not allowing anyone to utter anything except God’s name. I whispered a few shlokas of Bhagwadgita into her right ear and chanted mantra of Lord Srikrishn. She joyfully danced in bliss while still lying in bed. “What did you see?” I asked her. Her eyes were closed. “Day before yesterday in the hospital, Lord Srikrishn was sitting before me” she said. “What was he doing?” I wanted a full report of his ascension. “He gave me medicine with his own hands.” She said. “What else did you see?” I asked. “There were many pretty birds. All were laughing in joy” she said with a smile. I was relieved that Lord Srikrishn had fulfilled his promise.

Now I was relaxed. She was in perfect bliss and peace. She was only taking gangajal and Prasad and shunned all. Again on 8^th I met her. She was seeing many divine visions with her closed eyes. “Because of me everyone is stuck up.” She slightly looked perturbed for having been put on a waiting.”Don’t worry just Chant God’s name mentally”. I told her as speech was strenuous for her. “Want to hear some devotional music?”, “Yes” she said. I put earphone of my walkman playing stotra in praise of Lord Shiv and Divine mother followed by “Chidanand roopa  Shivoham  Shivoham” and she hummed it with joy.

She did not want to be hospitalized anymore neither did we want it so. On the evening of the next day doctor advised her to shift to another room as cold was causing swelling in her body. “Accept her quietly, please” I prayed as my sister in law told me over phone about her swelling. As soon she was put before her temple where she used to worship regularly, she was gone. With neither a discharge from body, nor any expression on face, she had gone. None around could catch the moment of her departure.

“None should cry for me, chant only God’s name” she had been instructing all. To fulfill her wish, with the chanting of God’s name, her mortal remains which looked fresh and fragrant even at the moment of setting on pyre at 1p.m.on 10^th Jan, 06,were consigned to fire. Her departure was an experience of divine peace for all. At night I meditated and tried to contact her. She appeared in dream and looked as jubilant as she used to be in moments of celebrations. -“I am in great bliss.” She said. -“How long do you want to remain there?” I asked. -“I want to relax for a while” she declared.

The day when I went to attend her last rites on terhavi, I found out from my sister in-law that just a few days before her death, she had divulged- “Because of Manjula, I could have a vision of Lord Srikrishn himself.” I was speechless upon the graciousness and perfection of Lord Srikrishn.

There ends my narration of the tale of ceaseless sport of Lord Srikrishn that is taking place everywhere all the time but is realized only by those who have purified their hearts.

Gita is mother of spiritual seekers

Jyotisar where Lord Srikirshn preached Gita

Right from my childhood days I always read Bhagwadgita to seek proper guidance of problems and either in meditation or in dream I got the guidance. A few years back when I joined at a new office and changed my official purse which was narrow in size, I took out the Gita kept in the old purse, thinking that there is no space in the new purse as its pockets were too narrow to contain the Holy book. I reached office. As I began to go through the work, my personal assistant presented me a new copy of Bhagwadgita. I was agape as this was the smallest copy I have seen so far that perfectly suited the pocket of my new official purse. I wondered how he did so. When I asked him why he did this, he replied that it just occurred to him that as he can’t read Hindi, he should bring this for me as the tiny book was lying with him for a long time, received from some other friend..long back. Once again I was left speechless by the omniscient care shown by the Divine Mother. Needless to explain, the tiny copy of Bhagwadgita adorned my new official purse without my asking. The celestial assurance of Lord Srikrishn began to resound loud in my entire being, -- ‘yogkshemam vahamyaham’. He inevitably bears the burden of needs of his true devotees.

Abuse Me Please

The Bhagwadgita contains seven hundred shlok. Out of eighteen chapters which enunciate journey of an individual soul beginning from depression to liberation from bondages of all kinds, the only chapter which throws light on the personality of a favourite devotee of Lord Srikrishn is the twelfth chapter. ‘The one who thinks of Me , devotes one’s mind and intellect to Me, expects nothing from anyone, has purified the heart, practises equanimity during insult and worship, treats all nonchalantly is My favourite’, professes Lord Srikrishn in this chapter. He not only preaches so but always practises this. Long back when all the enlightened seers decided to judge the greatest of three Lords of the Trinity, they sent sage Bhrigu to test them. Sage met Lord Brahma and did not salute him, thus hurting him mentally. Lord Brahma got enraged but somehow contained his wrath and did not curse him back. Sage Bhrigu then met Lord Shiv who rose up to embrace him but the testing sage told him blatantly,-“Please keep away as your body is ash smeared.” Lord Shiv got terribly upset at this verbal insult. Sage then met Lord Vishnu who was in his bed with Goddess Lakshmi stroking his feet. Bhrigu did not salute Lord Vishnu and kicked him at his chest. Lord Vishnu did not show any sign of anger and rather got up and said,-“Sage! How blessed am I that have received the touch of your pious feet. My chest is so hard and your feet are so tender.....I shall always bear the imprints of your lotus feet on my bossom.....” saying so he saluted Bhrigu with deep respect. On seeing such enlightened attitude of Lord Vishnu, sage Bhrigu saluted him and declared the result of his survey.

Not only just once even now when idols of Lord Jagannatha are taken on the festival of ‘Rath Yatra’, the idol of Lord does not alight unless, thoroughly abused by his devotees. Only when his devotees ventilate all their frustration and anger on him, does the Lord allow them to be lifted and placed in his chariot. Who else can be so gracious and exemplary except Lord Jagannatha?

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It is a treasure, a treasure house, abundant in its eternity which is Radha of which I think you have been a medium, nothing can touch me like the compilation  which gave me a vision of Radha that was for me a deja vu experience, it is Radhe Radhe to which correspondingly there is the Krishna Krishna.  This compilation is great.. will endure like Mira's... . All forms disappearing in Radha appears to me as the unity of all reality, the pathway to the Unifying Field quantum physics..It is my inner knowing that at Imlitalla Krishna became Radha.....

This communication comes to pass to me like Krishna fulfilling all wishes of Radha.. observing an auspicious moment ejaculated tremendously into her womb, which happens like the Big Bang EXPLOSION - happening not at human level ..it is the cosmic yoga  - the Transformation the Para Tantra.. the Maha Tantra.  Krishna completing Radha in supreme consummation... so Radhe Radhe to Krishna Krishna Hare Krishna.. It is the divine drama, nothing to do with our persons, your compilation strikes so true of my inner chord. The flash of knowing comes to me, this beyond religion, Hindu, Christian, etc., it is the eternal pilgrimage of the Self, here in quest.... or... hereafter.

It is the continuing Ganges flow of Lord Srikrishn consciousness running down from Chaitanya....... Mira...... Ramkrishn........ Bhaktivedant........ Manjula...so do I salute you dear friend and remain, Radhe Radhe!

Late SHRI ASIANAND

Professor of Philosophy

Intercultural Open University (Netherlands)

And Holder of Sri Aurobindo Chair for Human Unity

New Delhi, Washington D.C.Opinde (the Netherlands)