– I.V.Ranga Rao, M.A, M.Litt, I.E.S (Retd)
Ananya’s cintayanto mam ye janah parupasate
Tesam nityabhiyuktam yogaskhemam vahamy aham
Sarvadharman parityajya mam ekam saranam vraja
Aham tva sarvapapebhyo moksayisyami ma sucah
– Srimad Bhagavat Gita
Lord Krishna the Gitacharya adored as krishnam vande jagat gurum, gave Gitopadesh to Arjuna disillusioned and despondent caught between swadharma and attachment to kinsmen gurus etc. ready to kill and get killed in kuruskhetra battle. The Bhagavat Gita the Upanishad of Upanishads stands aloft, as the magnum opus and serves as ambrosia, inspiring life to the way worn aspirants. The core of the upadesha is one of surrender to the divine and the lord’s assurance of yoga kshemam to the votary (chapter 9-12 and chapter 18-66). This sharanagati tatva or doctrine of surrender again finds place in the Mahamantra given by Divine mother for the benefit of Humanity, suffering from the fires of samsara, out of the infinite compassion and mercy (on 1st Nov 1978) just before the self ordained Maha Samadhi. Divine Mother avers “This mantra is for the whole mankind. It is a vehicle of redemptive grace. It will bring good to the whole world. It is a golden regenerative and liberating mantra for all times to come, to whole of mankind.”
All life is yoga a sadhana for salvation and preparation for God vision. As such every event of life has a purpose. To accept all that happens in life as Divine dispensation, is surrender to Divine will.
All the above sayings of Divine Mother coming form Her lips as Pearls of wisdom highlight the need of total surrender with faith as the sheet anchor to the boat of bhakti.
Keep on the prayers and sadhana with all the intensity and absolute surrender to Mother. The family as a whole should rise up. ( Sree Tara Devi’s letter dated 22.05.1978) The emphasis is on total surrender. Again, in another instance the need of surrender is extolled. The feeling of belonging to Divine and an attitude of complete surrender to Her merciful dispensation is the means of attaining peace. This should be achieved to take firm roots, so that a firm tranquility of mind can be established. Aspire and be blessed. (Sree Tara Devi’s letter 15. 4.1980)
A devotee can easily get over all hurdles and obstacles of life by sincere and deep prayers. Our beloved Mother is our support and help at all times of our need. A united prayer by all together in a family is very much required. Have faith and pray. Sincere and heart-felt prayers have never gone unanswered. But faith is the criterion. Finally leave everything to Her and be at peace. This is how a bhakta maintains peace-of mind in this world of up’s and downs. (Sree Tara Devi’s letter 6 May 1979.)
ASSURANCES
Divine Mother Sri Rama Devi made an assurance: children think not that Mother is here, only when she is in the saguna form. Mother is eternal. Even after leaving the upadhi, Mother will be with you. She will be manifest Herself here (Saktinagar) in a special way.
Be cheerful and thought free. Enjoy the peace of self resignation. Surrender yourself completely to Her, the Mother of Universe. Remember your true nature and Mother’s Divinity. Do not look upon your body as your self.
You had innumerable bodies in the past. They have all perished, but have you perished? You are still there as the solid existence. You are imperishable, one with Divine Mother. Imprint upon the mind this truth and keep your mind stable and serene. Remain linked to the Mother always.
There is nothing superior to bhakti. Everybody everything leaves you one day or the other but Mother never leaves you. Knowing this truth, should you not give your entire heart to Mother Divine? On another occasion Divine Mother assured total protection “ have faith that I am always before you, behind you around you even helping you”. This is the height of protection offered to us a ‘personal kavacha’ to guard us.
MIRACLES:
Divine Mother warns sadhakas against miracles or ‘siddhis.’ In some cases those manifest as one advances in ‘Sadhaka Vritti’ and are as a rule to be avoided, as advancement in spiritual sadhana is hindered. In modern times however, people are crazy about miracles to offer quick fix solutions to the worldly problems. Those tend to have greater appeal. Not withstanding the above, certain events occurred with us coming under the realm of miracles (some select events) in our personal lives which are narrated with a view to cement faith and augment bhakti in Divine Mother. Those are to be taken only in that stride. The potency of ‘mahamantra’ gained great significance with us when my grandson competed for the 3 KM running race in his school sports and won the prize by chanting the “mahamantra” when his seniors also dropped in the middle of the event. A junior (in age) thus could do the feat to the surprise of everybody.
There are another instances of experience when my grandson was writing his school exam he got stuck up with certain question. He was at a fix. He uttered the ‘mahamantra’ and got the answers which helped him to write the paper creditably and to satisfaction. What is not possible with Divine intervention? There is nothing like impossible for Divine Mother’s children provided we have utter faith and sincerity in prayers.
There was another case of Divine Mother’s graceful intervention. If your call is genuine, emerging from the bottom of the heart, She will rush to your aid. This was her declaration. It happened in New Delhi once our domestic LPG cylinder got exhausted and on demand a delivery boy came to deliver the refill at 7 PM one day. His arrival was totally unexpected. My wife was all alone. In big cities crimes are common and one has to be guarded. She got nervous and prayed to Divine Mother. ‘I am all alone’ and I can not open the almirah and take money in presence of a stranger’. So saying, she brought money. Lo! In a few minutes time, she palpably felt the presence of Divine Mother clad in white saree, walking up and down, as though giving company to her. Meanwhile the gas cylinder was delivered and the boy left. With great relief and sense of gratitude, countless thanks were offered to Divine Mother for the timely assistance.
Some time back, in response to a request for a STD facility to our domestic telephone, we were asked to suggest a number to be registered for personal identification (Password) requirement. This meant working of permutations and combinations and getting a combination acceptable to the department using all our intelligence. For two days we all worked but no avail. In a fit of disgust we left the exercise. Next day how ever when I was coming out after morning ablations I got intuitively a particular combination number. I lost no time to contact the telephone department with the discovery. Lo! it came to be acceptable immediately imagine the excitement.
In 1984 when Smt. Indira Gandhi former Prime Minister was assassinated, there was social tension in the capital, marked by sporadic violence. I was to attend the office as usual. At 4 PM however my boss rang me up and enquired why I came to office taking all the risk. He advised me to leave the office early to avoid risk and untoward problems. He wanted to depute his PA to escort me to the campus, where we stay. But that was not to happen for some reason. Atlast, I had to leave office alone. The whole of Rajpath area looked forlorn and deserted. I prayed to divine Mother for safety. A little later, I saw PA of my boss coming fast to overtake my vehicle. He joined and escorted me to the campus and left. I thanked Divine Mother profusely for the benevolent assistance got. Next day however (out of curiosity) in course of conversation I broached the topic about the PA’s assistance to me the previous evening. To my surprise he replied that he left early as he came from a long distance. I was totally dumb founded and concluded it was none other than the Divine Mother’s invisible hand that worked the miracle to offer protection out of total concern for Her creation.
On 16th Dec 1984, I was proceeding to Delhi mandali on my two wheeler, to attend the Sunday weekly bhajan along with my wife and daughter at Sri. B V Holla’s house as usual. It so happened that on the way in Andrew’s gunj a speeding car hit our vehicle. We all fell down unconscious almost instantaneously with the engine still in motion. A passenger proceeding to Delhi airport noticed acted as a good Samaritan and stopped his car at the accident spot. He noted the number of the hit and run car and rescued us from the vehicle. He lodged a police complaint later. An onlooker for the neighbourhood rushed with drinking water which helped us for our early recovery. Providentially we escaped with minor injuries and after medical aid with help we returned home. In those moments of suspense we could feel Divine hands at work in diverse ways to protect us. The accident could have been fatal and tragic (considering the severe impact on our vehicle) and miraculously we were all saved by Divine Mother. We always remember that fatal date with shudder every year and even today.
Divine Mother’s sacred Kumkum:
Divine Mother’s sacred Kumkum serves as “Raksha” many times. In our experience Sri Lalitha Sahasranamam and AkhandaNama Japa chanting is done in the mandir or singly in the houses in congregation. Each “Namavali” uttered and pooja offered thereby to Divine Mother carries with it a lot of power, which confers a variety of benefits as desired by the aspirants, if done with sincerity. That is the reason in case of ailments in our house we offer Divine Mother’s kumkum first in a routine way. In this connection certain experiences are given below.
Recently our domestic servant girl was the beneficiary. She was to be married to a relative boy she liked. But her parents however were not agreeable and there was stiff opposition. She was totally depressed. When she told of her predicament we offered her the Divine Mother’s Kumkum with prayer. Wonder of wonders her parents later relented and the marriage took place as she desired. Later she came with all smiles and a sense of gratitude after the marriage to thank us.
Again we found from experience that whenever marriage invitations extended to us the parties were offered the sacred “Kumkum” uttering “Mahamantra”. The marriages used to come out well, without any obstacle or untoward happenings.
Further there were instances when the sacred “Kumkum” exhibited curative properties. Once after Saktinagar trip my self and my wife returned to our place via Chennai to see my aged cousin. It happened that my cousin was suffering from a prolonged cough and was restless. No drugs could cure him. We felt we chose the wrong time for the personal visit. My sister-in-law poured her agony about the aliment, while my cousin could not talk.
I, involuntarily went near him and touched him without meaning anything and offered the sacred “Kumkum” as a routine. To our surprise the cough subsided and totally and later. He wrote to me couple of days later that and how that the vibrations produced by touch he received along with the “Kumkum” cured him totally. He suggested that every time on our way back from Saktinagar we should visit him and stay in his house.
One day our neighbour’s child was unwell. The child was restless with fever and crying with out stop. Medicines could not cure. Casually my wife went to her and the mother narrated her agony. There upon my wife applied “Kumkum” to the child and her mother. The child was free from fever and relieved of the problem.
Another incident related to a serious one. After Saktinagar trip, we were to dash emergently to Hyderabad to see a relative ailing in hospital. Doctors gave up hopes. She was gasping for breadth, unable to open eyes even. She had not taken any diet. The close relatives were all worried and concerned. My wife applied “Kumkum” to her and touched the entire body. Within minutes we found that the lady could open her eyes slowly and recognize us. Later after persuasion, she accepted some liquid diet. When we were to depart she could talk. Later we visited her many times after her recovery.
There is another moving personal incident. Years ago in Bhopal my grand daughter had non stop loose motions one midnight. My son-in-law was away on official tour. At that part of the night getting neighbour’s help or Doctors visit were out of question. She administered the available medicines in her house and those were of no avail. Forlorn and helpless she lost her nerve and rushed to the pooja room, sat before Divine Mother, weeping bitterly and praying all the while, applying Divine Mother’s “Kumkum” to the child.
The compassionate Mother instantaneously answered her prayers and within minutes to the astonishment of all motions stopped and the child recovered fully and slept. My daughter thanked Divine Mother profusely in gratitude.
I conclude this article with the clarion call of Divine Mother Smt. Tara Devi “This is the time for us to work. It is now that we have to make peace, Bliss and Divine knowledge imparted by Divine Mother, our own. What is given to us by her with much live and compassion should remain with us for ever and ever. It is not to be neglected or lost. But to assimilate it and digest it, work we must. Deep and concentrated meditation in addition to other exercises of sadhana is of more importance at this juncture of time. For the successful accomplishment of our part we have to pray to her very sincerely, so that the desired results will be forthcoming as expected by Her. If we could do this and live up to Her expectation, I don’t think there is greater blessedness than this” (Letter dated 6th April 1979) Let us all rise up to the expectation is my humble prayer.
(Author of the Article is the Former Addl. Economic & Statistical Adviser, Ministry of Agriculture, Govt. of India and disciple of Divine Mother, associated with Rama Sakti Mission, since inception.)