Saint Sketch -5- Sri Bhadrachala Ramadas -Part-2 By Sri.Sri.Muralidhara Swamiji

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Radhe Krishna To All,

 

The water from the seas is salty and cannot quench thirst. However, the same

water is consumed by the clouds and given back to us as rain which is pure and

pristine.

 

Similarly, scriptures should not be interpreted according to one's own whims and

fancies. It should be heard from the lips of Mahans who alone can sift through

them and give us the best of the best.

--- SRI SRI MURALIDHARA SWAMIJI

 

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Sri Bhadrachala Ramadas Contd...

 

The happy Gopanna thus celebrated the Rama Navami utsav as usual. His wife

herself cooked food for all the guests for she realized what an honour it was to

cook for all these Sadhus. Therefore, she did not leave it in the hands of hired

cooks but took it upon herself. It was late evening and Nama Kirtan was going

on. Gopanna’s wife had prepared dinner for the guests. She put her little son

Raghav to sleep and placing a lamp beside him moved to the place where Nama

Kirtan was going on. It was her husband who sang which made it all the more

interesting for her and they were all his kirtans. She was enjoying the kirtans

and after a while, the mother she was, she moved to check her child. But lo! the

child was not to be found where she had put him to sleep. After she had left

him, the child had woken up. The lamp had been blown out and being dark, the

scared child searching out for the mother had reached the place where dinner had

been prepared. The

‘kanji’ (starch) from the cooked rice had been filtered nearby on the floor

and the child in the dark stepped on to it. He slipped and fell into the boiling

hot ‘kanji’ and died.

 

The mother searched for her little son and found the dead child. The wife of a

great devotee of Rama she out beat her husband. She suppressed her grief and

tears as the thought crossed her, “If I were to cry for my dead child Rama

Navami utsav will come to a stop. This cannot be allowed to happen. The guests

should be fed.†She wrapped the body of the child in a sack and placed it

aside where none could see it. She then went about her work. As soon as the Nama

Kirtan was over she served food for all the guests. As they were being served

one of the Sadhus asked Gopanna, “Where is your little son Raghav? I have not

seen him around?†Gopanna looked questioningly at wife. She quietly took him

aside and showed him the dead body of the child. Gopanna was also grief

stricken; He was also astounded at his wife’s behaviour in such a situation.

 

Meanwhile the Sadhus had gathered there and learnt about the incident. They,

too, grieved over the mishap. Gopanna consoled them, " Rama blessed me with this

child and He has now taken him back. The child has gone to a better place - to

the Lotus Feet of Lord Rama. We should not cry over this!†However, the Sadhus

said, “No, Gopanna! What will the world say? You are a Rama Bhakta. You are

celebrating His utsava. The people will scoff at your Rama for bringing this

upon you. This incident will bring a bad name to your Rama.†Saying so, all of

them together prayed to Lord Rama pleading with him to restore the child to

life.

 

Just then a Yogi came in and enquired in a demanding tone, “What is happening

here?†He was informed of the child’s death. The Yogi said, “Died? Who

says the child is dead? He is not.†And tapping the child the Yogi said,

“Get up!†and the child woke up! The Yogi quickly went out of the door.

Gopanna who had followed the Yogi quickly saw the form of Kothandapani Rama

before he disappeared from sight. This only intensified his faith that the Lord

was taking care of him in every way.

 

 

!!! Will Continue !!!

 

Chant the Mahamantra Nama kirtan :

 

Hare Rama Hare Rama Rama Rama Hare Hare

Hare Krishna Hare Krishna Krishna Krishna Hare Hare

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