|
4.10.2002 , Vrindavan:
|
I had the fortune of visiting Vrindavan and meeting Nanna. The Rasika Siromani(supernal of divine love) who is truly Radha sakhi, is constantly seeing and communicating with Divine Mother. He mingles with us as one among us, smiling and making us smile, giving the impression of being an ordinary person!! This is the natural quality of our loving Nanna. All of us used to surround him addressing him affectionately as 'Nanna' (father) and speak boldly about family problems and other worldly miseries. In the heart of hearts, we all know that he is a great saint and the confidential companion 'sakhi' of all-pervading divine Mother Sri Radha. Yet the feeling that he is our dear Nanna was also present. It is the probably due to the love he showered on us.
|
Even that day Nanna made us sit near him and began talking to us. Gradually the conversation drifted towards topics like meditation and inwardness.
|
I asked "Nanna, please tell us about your inner spiritual life."
|
|
"
No one knows about the inner spiritual bliss in which I live. When I am in that state, I experience deep grief and endless sorrow due to separation from Mother. It is a constant meditative state of consciousness. No words, no name, only pure divine consciousness. It is boundless uninterrupted divine consciousness. That means weeping. It is a peculiar state. It seems impossible to come down from that state to the earthly plane. My body shivers as I feel the presence of Mother. Sri Radhaji is my Sakhi. Merely hearing the name of divine Mother sends me into this state of bhav. All other forms and names disappear from my mind. Only Mother remains. However, I still have jobs entrusted by Mother. To accomplish those jobs, I need to restrict and restrain my inner spiritual living. I am consciously making an effort to do so
"
|
Nanna said with a poignant expression. He continued smilingly:
|
|
"
Recently a heavenly personality appeared before me and said - 'The penance by your inner self in the above world is very intense. Do reduce it. Else it would be difficult for you to accomplish the tasks taken up by you'. What can I do? I have already controlled the intensity of my penance.
"
|
My heart was filled with emotion. In order to fulfill the welfare activities assigned by Mother, he is making efforts to reduce the intensity of his blissful state. He gave up that bliss which Maharshis, Brahmarishis and Gods yearned to achieve through intense penance! What a great divine nature with such servile feelings towards Mother! And what focused concentration or faith! Probably such is the life of a Radha Sakhi who considers the happiness of others as his own! |
"Nanna, you advocated only meaningful meditation without name and form. How is it possible to worship the formless? How could you achieve it?" I asked earnestly. |
|
"
Formlessness does not mean vacuum. It is an all-pervading effulgence or aura and it is most powerful. I struggled a lot to get accustomed to this worship of the formless. The feeling that Mother is constantly with me was awakened in me in Naimisaranya (naimisa forest). I could sense that this feeling was going deeper and deeper within me. Then I realized what 'inwardness' means. My astral living started in Naimisaranya. Theory, practice and experience- all the three were present. Since then unseen and unimaginable spiritual powers started shining in me. They don't shine in the physical world. I have attained some astounding powers which are not possible to be obtained by ordinary mortals.
"
|
|
"
Now, how do you worship the formless(god)?
"
|
|
"
Yatra yatra manoyati tatra tatra Madhava - wherever your mind goes, there you will find Madhava (Lord Sri Krishna)
"
|
|
"
Divine Mother appears to me everywhere. She is present in every particle of the universe. Due to this superimposition, the form or quality of the object can't be seen. The formless Mother emerges and is visible in every person or object. This conscious state will not come unless the Bhav is awakened. In such a state, the very thought of Mother or meditation on Mother will intensify the Sakhi Bhav bringing tears in the eyes. In this state, even a snake or tiger will appear like a Sakhi. The Sakhi will not hesitate to embrace them. Such an incident occurred when I was working in S.Kota. There was a snake pit in my house. A snake used to come out of the pit and drink the coffee which I would pour in a saucer. Due to superimposition of Radha Bhav, it did not appear to me as a snake, but as my Mother. I embraced it, carried it in my arms and served coffee to it. What a pleasure it was! Bhav is so great.
"
|
Saying this, Nanna became emotional and shed tears. |
There was a divine aura surrounding Nanna, who was experiencing the omnipresent formless radiance of Mother every moment. As a result, the atmosphere around him was always joyful and serene. I sat there experiencing the serene atmosphere and the blessedness to be in his presence. |
Nanna again continued... |
|
"
Radhikamani, it was Sacchidananda Swami who taught me that Mother is a formless deity. I met him in Naimisaranya in 1922. He only taught me to worship the formless. Inwardness, continuous meditation and the divine doctrine that Mother is always with me are the three things that he taught me. When I was in his ashram one day, a truckload of food items sufficient for 10 persons arrived. Swamiji smiled and said 'See I never knew that our food would be arranged in this way. But Mother knows that we are in the forest and it was She who sent it for us'. This incident reinforced my faith in Mother and in Her formless appearance. Showing such miracles, Mother instills devotion and confidence in us and then draws us towards Her. This is Mothers philosophy. Way back in 1922 I have performed the penance which would grant me the presence of Radhaji in the shortest span of time. In the pursuit of inward journey I went into greater depths. Detachment and inner depth was my state at that time. The nameless and formless Mother is always with me. I feel Her presence more than your presence.
"
|
Saying thus, Nanna went into a state of meditation. |
Nanna - the Sakhi of Sri Radha meditated on Mother with various bhavs. At one time She appeared as Chinnari(the little girl), at another time She appeared as a sulking 'Kishori'(the young one). Yet again She was the all-pervading deity. Some other time She became the dearest companion who is the life of his life. Though so many bhavs arose in him, he was always aware that She is the Swamini. Therefore, he often said, |
|
"
I don't feel like speaking. I want to do incessant meditation. This is essential to reach the lotus feet of Mother. I want to be with Mother continuously.
"
|
|
"
It does not matter what others say or see about you. You want Mother. That only matters. Always remember this"
|
| |
| |
| |
| (1) Radha ras mein dub re nit man,
Ras bhar sundar ramani mani ban,
Ramani man hi Radha ki sakhi,
Radha sakhi hi jag mein nit sukhi
|
| (2) Nit such mano nitya nirantar,
Niravadh Radha dhyan ke antar,
Dhyani man mein nikat hi Radha,
Dhyani sab kuch rahti Radha
|
| (3) Radha chintan yogi hi banti,
Radha hi prem sudharasvanti,
Jai jai Radha jai jayavanthi,
Kunj viharini jai madhuvanti
|
| (4) Bhav hi radha rag hi Radha,
Bhavatit swaroop hi Radha,
Rasika malathi man nikunj mein,
Bhav paramayi radha madhuri.
|
| ---- |
| |
| |
1. Oh mind, be always engrossed in Radha ras
But with the heart of a woman filled with ras
Only the woman's heart can be Radha's sakhi
Only Radha sakhi in the world is eternally happy.
2. Eternal bliss is continuous and constant
Can be attained with meditation every instant
Radha is near heart of dhyani(meditator)
Radha is indeed everything of dhyani .
3. Meditating on Radha is yoga
Embodiment of love is Radha
Jai jai Radha jai jayavanti
Wanderer in Nikunj , Jai madhuvanti
4. Radha is bhav, Radha is raga
Radha is beyond bhav
In the divine garden of Rasika Malathi
Resides the Supreme bhav, Radha madhuri
| |
| |
-Sri Radharasa Madhuri
| |
|
