SUNDAY, APRIL 20, 2014 (PAGE-3) SACRED SPACE Sweet remembrance Lord Jagannath Rath Yatra to write articles on His teachings. I do not think I can even Vijay Vohra Annual Lord Jagannath Rath write a few sentences on my own. He is himself guiding my During my childhood I used to watch keenly my mother Yatra festival is going to be celebrat- thoughts, my words, bringing His sayings in my memory where ed in Jammu doing a lot of rituals for worshipping God. She also observed needed, the whole article to be written and even topic is being many fasts on different days of the month and often suffered Rath Yatra is the festival where- suggested by Him. He has totally changed my way of life, my in the Lord steps out of his resi- with severe headache in the evening after doing hardwork the thoughts and my feelings and expectations from others. Each whole day and eating nothing. I used to think that why God dence and showers mercy on the and every devotee who got a chance to be in His physical general public. It is mentioned that needs us to observe fasts and do formalities or rituals to presence has a unique experience. remember Him. I asked this question to my mother many times one who sees the Lord on the char- My most amazing realization is that Beloved Swami has iot this day and dances in ecstasy in but never got any satisfactory answer. So I made up my mind cared deeply for all of us in different ways depending on our front of the Lord, is not forced to take that when I will grow up I will ask this question directly from individual level of consciousness and our specific spiritual birth in this mortal world again. God Himself. No doubt it was a childish wish to ask God but needs. But in all His devotees He has lovingly ignited and Though one may voluntarily come I never knew then that in reality it had to happen in enhanced spiritual growth. This thought leaves me for serving. future. With all these questions in mind I grew awestruck, what an incredible Master we all have! Pulling of Rath (Cart) during the up and spent a good part of my life with- We are truly blessed and fortunate that we Rath yatra procession by the devo- out any answer. During all these years had the Supreme Parabrahman incarnat- tees symbolizes the attempt of the I myself started observing different ed amidst us for our redemption with a residents of Vrindavan, especially fasts (though out of fear) then beautiful divine form and sweet name the cowherd boys and girls, to bring stopped keeping fasts one by as Sri Satya Sai Baba. We all devo- Krishna, Balarama and Subhadra one to start again after some tees have experienced His back to Vrindavan, the holy dhama months. It was because I unconditional love. He has in Mathura( UP) from Kurukshetra. could neither convince my shown us that love is royal road Vrindavan is the place where the mind nor got any answer to attain constant integrated Lord resides eternally. Lord also On the Right hand side Lord Jagannath is Krishna, while Baladev (left) is his elder from any other source. awareness. resides in every living entity's heart brother Balaram and in the center is Subhadra Devi, their younger sister. Then dawned the Closeness to Him was and if one realizes this then one's héra (Sri Chaitanya Mahäprabhu's and her limbs shrunk into her torso sacred day two more than lightening more heart also becomes like Vrindavan. residence in Puri), Svarüpa due to intense spiritual emotion. decades back when I than fire and heat yet cool, Therefore pulling the rope of the Dämodara and Rämänanda Räya Being expert in physiognomy, when did see God face to soothing and beyond Chariot also signifies trying to bring asked Mahäprabhu about the Krishna and Balaräma saw the con- face. My beloved Lord expressions. In His pres- Krishna (The Supreme Lord) back to extraordinary feature of the deities dition of Subhadrä Devi, They imme- Sri Satya Sai Baba pro- ence in Prashanti Nilayam, our heart. Actually Lord is already of Jagannätha, Baladeva, and Sub- diately understood that something extraordinary must be going on vided me all the the world appeared to there in our heart but it helps us to hadrä and He explained to them as recede with all its bindings, realize this reality. follows: inside the room, so They also began answers and removed This is a festival in which people to listen. all my doubts very slow- troubles, family problems, ill- Once, when Rohini Devi, the from different religious backgrounds mother of Lord Balaräma was visit- In a very short while due to feel- ly, silently but steadily. ness etc. There things come together to pull the chariot of appeared to lose their signifi- ing Dvärakä, Lord Krishna's queens ing of the highest spiritual emotions Swami made me realize the Lord, as the Lord is one. We may surrounded her and asked her to cance and effect before His all call him Krishna, Allah or Father in (mahäbhäva), Krishna and Balaräma that for the advancement speak about Krishna's childhood in spiritual journey God compassing love and Divine the Heaven, but he is the same. This experienced similar transformations. Aura. The entire questions one festival unites the people and is cel- pastimes in Vrindavana .They said, At that time Sri Närada Muni does not need us to perform "Sometimes we hear Him talking in wished and prepared himself to ask ebrated in more than 100 major appeared. Amazed at this sight, he any rituals or keep fasts. But by cities of the world including Singa- His sleep. With a sweet voice He keeping fast once a week we can the Lord, all the worldly reasons that began to dance and chant in great has brought you to His "Holy feet" pore, New York, Dublin, Belfast, calls out the names of His friends learn to control our mind which can London, Toronto, Budapest, Kuala like Sridämä and Subäla, and the jubilation. When Jagannätha, help us to make our will power apparently evaporated, into thin air and Lumpur, Melbourne, Montreal, Baladeva and Subhadrä regained one was caught firmly in His Divine Energy names of His cows. Sometimes He stronger. With strong will our mind is able Paris, Los Angeles, Venice, Mexico, calls, 'O Lalita, Vishakhä; O Sri Räd- their external senses, Närada Muni and held firmly in His Divine Love. You really to concentrate better. And when we can con- Bath, Mumbai, Delhi etc. in the spir- he' And other times He says, 'Moth- ceased to exist as a body, with eyes, arms, legs, face, exclaimed in great wonder, "Oh Lord! centrate at will, we can meditate on our chosen deity. Then it of love for GOD. The logic is sim- er, please feed me fresh butter.' voice; there was only one entity, you enclosed with Him. There I have seen many of Your tran- from health point of view too it is good to skip your food once ple : True identity of every living Sometimes He cries, then wakes up was no reason or cause any more, there was no movement, being is that he/she is a spirit soul, scendental forms but never have I a week. As far as rituals are concerned in initial stage we must and sobs for hours. How special are one used to get completely lost and drowned in the Holy Hindus call it ATMA, Muslims call it beheld such a wonderful form of observe a few rituals for worshipping God because they can RUH while Christians call it SOUL. those residents of Vraja! Please tell waters of His gushing love. His eyes that look right through us about them." mahäbhäva. Please Oh Lord, kindly help us to concentrate upon our beloved Lord's form. Rituals you X-ray all that is you-your present, past and future. It was All spirit souls are created by the can also form a habit in us to spend some time with our Lord. Supreme Lord, thus we have a com- Mother Rohini agreed but said manifest this form in such a way that only when Baba moved away from you, you awoke like awak- mon father. Because we have a that Krishna must not hear her everyone may have this extraordi- Then Namsmarna and service to humanity are the sure means ening from a beautiful dream and your body moved again. The to achieve spiritual growth. So with my beloved all knowing common father so we are brothers words, otherwise He would get over- nary darshana." fullness of love in these few moments of in expressible bliss, whelmed with emotion and may rush Swami my life became very peaceful and meaningful. Now I and sisters. Thus there cannot be Thus by the mercy of the Lord's filled your whole being and over flew into hot tears from your any scope for conflict, if we under- towards Vrindävana. So it was no longer have to imagine what God looks like or question eyes. So overwhelming was His love. It took minutes before stand the things deeply. The pur- arranged that Krishna's sister Sub- great devotee Sri Narada Muni we the ifs and whys of life? the "Holy Anesthesia wore off and you came back again. pose of this festival is to bring peo- hadrä Devi would stand guard out- are now able to behold and serve the But then 24thApril 2011 started with a strong and a big blow Baba's unfathomable eyes would melt hearts by a mere ple close to GOD, to Love GOD and side the room.