Hare Krishna

Dandavats to all.

Pls accept my humble obeisances.

To be honest, I am a very fallen soul and we all agree fallen souls need more mercy and blessings from Mahabhagvats. By lord’s grace, I sometimes get ample opportunities to serve sanniyasis and get their mercy. I will now clock 4 yrs back when I used to struggle doing my 16rounds. It was very erratic 8, 10, 12, 14, 16 rounds. Due to mercy of one of the senior devotees, he asked me if I could take care of HH Janananda  Maharaj for 2 days as he needs to serve him by following his instructions and get some medicines from Kerela India. I heartily agreed.

Based on our understanding and abilities, we served Maharaj and did as he would instruct. However I saw Maharaj would always be chanting. If I am saying something, he may listen but he would keep chanting and respond if he thinks question merits answer. He was like walking, talking chanter. Whilst travelling in the car, taking his bath, packing his luggage, whilst cooking with my wife, he would be just chanting…It was amazing to see somebody actually doing what Prabhupad instructed it. Sometimes when we read, we nod our head in acceptance from philosophy but when u see somebody doing it, you understand how to do it. Its like in the manual it may be written how to keep the house clean but when we see our mother or wife how they take care of hygine and cleanliness, we start copying. The big knock came when Maharaj was about to sleep at night and I asked if I could massage his feet. He said no. I protested and asked if I can get his mercy. He smiled and said if somebody massages his body at night, it relaxes him and then he fears that he may not be able to get up by 3:45am. So, if I wish I could do massage after 7am. I was stunned. He asked me to sleep outside his room so that no mataji comes to his room (there was another mataji who had come to meet him too). After 30mins, I started hearing mahamantra incoherently: Hare Krishna Hare Krish…..Rama rama….I could hear like for 10-15secs and then silence and then again after one hr…till the alarm rang at 3:45am and he sprang like a lion and started chanting…..

It was so powerful for me….Looking at Maharaj, both me and shilpi cried at his feet. We understood we are having great soul at our place and we need his mercy. I promised I will try utmost every day to chant 16rounds. He then said: focus on quantity first; you will get quality later….Be like parrot, every moment u are free, take his name…even if 16 rounds are over, keep chanting whatever work u may be doing; you don’t use bead bag after 16 rounds if ur work or job doesn’t permit; but just keep chanting and u will get the quality and it will become so ingrained in ur system, u will never feel like leaving chanting…

To this date, I still remember his smile and his instructions. I still remember and even today when he comes to our place and sleep, I see him chanting…I am mudha and sleep like a donkey (haven’t been able to get there; but my chanting went to 16 rounds after this inspiration and shilpi (my wife) to this date chants whilst cooking…

Such is the mercy of Mahabhagvats…and my realization is if one just chants relentlessly like parrot, he gets it – power of holy name…Its like Valmiki, he just tried mrammramram…and then finally ram ram ram….and what realized soul was he (after just being a parrot)…also association is so important and after this I used to make point to invite senior devotees and sanniyasis so that I can get more association and learn…my wife shilpi is also doing rounds nicely by maharaj’s grace.

Maharaj is again coming to my place on 14th Jan and I cant hide my happiness and I had to write this!!

Hari Bol

very fallen sevant

Sumeet