Sandeha Nivarini…

I have always had this wish of seeing Bhagawan create different things at the same time. I was once blessed with opportunity of accompanying Swami to Kodaikanal. One evening, Swami asked us to sing before Him. After the program, Swami called three of us to Him. I guess, our singing pleased the Lord. With the familiar circular movements of His hands, Swami created a bracelet and two different rings. After presenting us with the tokens of Divine grace, he looked at me and asked, “Happy?”

Narayana Seva in Kodai is a very arduous event. We have to serve continuously for three to four hours. At the end of it all we are left tired and famished. But nothing escapes the eyes of Swami. When we came in, Swami very sweetly said, “Now Narayana Himself will serve you. I will not eat till you all have eaten”. He then picked up the bucket and served us all Sweet Pongal and Tamarind Rice.

“Say it from the bottom of your heart”

Hostel life is a great tutor. It teaches you to live together and creates a great sense of team work and brotherhood. It even teaches you to address the other person as a ‘brother’! One day Bhagawan came in the Bhajan hall and asked a student, “Who is this boy sitting next to you?” The student in all earnest and humility answered, “Swami, he is my brother”. The next question Bhagawan asked was “If he is your brother, will you share your father’s property with him? The boy was taken aback and there was no answer from him. Bhagawan then said, “Don’t say something just for the sake of it. Mean what you say. If you say something, say it from the bottom of your heart”.

Be Hollow, Be Humble

Back during those wonderful golden days Bhagawan used to speak to His boys every single day at Trayee Brindavan after Darshan. It was on one such day that Bhagawan gave a wonderful discourse on Lord Krishna and the devotion of the Gopikas. Once Radha and the other Gopikas asked the Lord’s flute as to how it had the ability to be near the Lord while they did not enjoy such close proximity with the Lord of the universe. The flute replied that it was sheer hollowness that allowed it to be near the Lord. “Be hollow, be humble and be nothing. The Lord will pass His very own breath through you. You have to do nothing.” The Lord says, “Today man thinks he does everything and that he is the sole doer. In that case where is the role for Me? Only when you surrender at My feet will I take you up in My own arms.”

He also mentioned how devotees show Bhakti these days. They perform Bhajan and seva and then ask Swami for instant results. They say, “I have done so much good, but my problems do not seem to be solved”. Bhagawan said, “You can have two types of relationship with God. One is the Master–Servant type and the other is the Mother–Child type. If you do good deeds and ask Swami for results, it would seem as if a servant, who does his daily chores, asking the master for his wages at the end of the month. The master will pay him, but there is no bonding of love and relationship. On the other hand a mother will go on doing her duty and loving her child without expecting a single rupee in reward. But there is an immortal bond of love which is beyond money. So you need to decide which relationship you want.

All are Equal before Him

One of the boys had a doubt – does Swami love all equally? Does he love some more or some less? Are we of any importance in this creation? For which Bhagawan answered beautifully through a discourse. He said, “How many parts are there in a space craft? Hundreds? Thousands or even lakhs? Are the small pins, nuts and bolts not important? Leave alone important, they are critical. A small malfunction of a pin can bring down the entire spacecraft. In the same way each and every one is equally important and critical in God’s creation.” My friend had got his answer!

In Kodaikanal Bhagawan used to take us around to parks, lakes and gardens. On one such occasion, instead of traveling in His car, He came with us in our bus. While in the bus, He asked us to look outside. When we looked out, we saw people offering flowers at Bhagawan’s car and breaking coconuts. Bhagawan very jokingly and mischievously said, “See! I am with you in this bus and they are worshipping the car. They do not even look at Me in the bus. See what bad company can do to Me.” Bhagawan also mentioned that the car is like the Nandi – the celestial Bull vehicle of Lord Shiva. “Each one of you is like My celestial bull leading the Lord’s procession. Each one of you has a great responsibility of leading others. You have to follow the path of virtue, righteousness and dharma and be a role model to the world!”