Date: 24 Dec 2011 20:31:56 -0000
From: "Mahesh Deva"
To: am-global@earthlink.net
Subject: Baba Story: Baba Saved Life of Infant
Baba
Namaskar,
In 1971, after my first son was born, we planned to host a baby naming ceremony at our house. After all, as an initiated and practicing Ananda Margii, I felt it was our family duty to follow the Ananda Marga system. So we set the date for the baby naming gathering and arranged for a local family acarya to perform the ceremony.
I invited local villagers to the program. But they refused to attend as they thought my outlook and way of living was against the vedas and puranas. They felt I had turned my back on the traditions and rituals of the Karmakand (vedas ) and the Hindu religion. So they told me they would not attend.
Not only that, those villagers thought a very unfortunate and tragic episode would befall the child and / or my family because of my "sinful ways." They predicted the Almighty would punish me. With that fear also they did not participate.
I told them, "This is my child and my family and if something happens then I will face consequences. But this is what I am going to do."
I was determined to follow the AM system. By Baba's grace the ceremony was performed and everything went quite smoothly.
The next day we were sitting outside the house by the fire to warm ourselves. After some time my wife wanted to pass the baby to me. I was sitting directly opposite her - across the fire. She stood up and I stood and she started to hand the child to me.
Our infant was wrapped in a cloth and as my wife began to pass me the baby, suddenly the child fell from in between our arms directly onto the fire. The fire was burning with flames upwards of 2 ft high. The child started crying loudly and violently.
I was frozen, panic-stricken, and in shock. Temporarily I lost sight of what to do. In a moment, my senses returned and I readied to pull my dear baby from the burning flames.
Taking Baba's name, I reached into the fire and grabbed my son, along with the cloth. I then did a quick check of him - expecting the worst. By Baba's grace nothing happened - my boy was neither burned nor hurt from the fall. I just closed my eyes surrendering to Baba, knowing that He watches over everything.
Seeing my son saved from this life-threatening tragedy was most astonishing for my whole family and the entire village. Nobody could believe their eyes. They were incredulous - totally in awe of what had just transpired. Especially those villagers who had been watching directly and saw the incident first-hand.
My neighbor said, "Your Guru must have done something to save child."
I replied, "It is Baba's grace. He has blessed me with the inspiration to follow His commandments and it is His duty to save us from such a tragedy."
Today my son is a strong and devoted margii.
All in all it was quite a moving scene. Before that incident my family was opposed to Ananda Marga and after that my entire family took initiation and became devotees of Baba, Lord Shrii Shrii Anandamurtiji.
Everyone understood that everything happens according to the sweet will of Parama Purusa. What He wants, that happens. Without His permission nothing can happen.
I fully appreciate this Prabhat Samgiita:
According to Baba's guideline, I tried to follow His teaching and by His grace the tragedy was averted. Actually, I did not have the strength to follow - He gave me the strength, so all credit goes to Baba.
Baba says, "“One who protects dharma is protected by dharma.” Dharma saves the dhármika [the upholder of dharma] in the material sphere, in the subtle sphere and in the causal sphere. When dharma saves people in the material sphere, they experience it before their very eyes, they hear it with their ears, they feel it with the tenderness of touch. When dharma helps them in the causal sphere, they experience it by loving Parama Puruśa with all the sweetness of their hearts. This feeling has no external expression. When dharma saves people in the subtle sphere, they experience it through deep reflection." (Namah Shiváya Shántáya, Disc 11: Shivokti 11)
Namaskar,
Ramshreya
From: "Mahesh Deva"
To: am-global@earthlink.net
Subject: Baba Story: Baba Saved Life of Infant
Baba
== BABA STORY: BABA SAVED LIFE OF INFANT ==
Note: The following is a first-hand account
from a senior margii, Ramshreya Prasad Srivastava of Narkatiya
Ganj, West Champaron Dist (Bihar).
Namaskar,
In 1971, after my first son was born, we planned to host a baby naming ceremony at our house. After all, as an initiated and practicing Ananda Margii, I felt it was our family duty to follow the Ananda Marga system. So we set the date for the baby naming gathering and arranged for a local family acarya to perform the ceremony.
LOCAL VILLAGERS REFUSE TO ATTEND
I invited local villagers to the program. But they refused to attend as they thought my outlook and way of living was against the vedas and puranas. They felt I had turned my back on the traditions and rituals of the Karmakand (vedas ) and the Hindu religion. So they told me they would not attend.
Not only that, those villagers thought a very unfortunate and tragic episode would befall the child and / or my family because of my "sinful ways." They predicted the Almighty would punish me. With that fear also they did not participate.
I told them, "This is my child and my family and if something happens then I will face consequences. But this is what I am going to do."
I was determined to follow the AM system. By Baba's grace the ceremony was performed and everything went quite smoothly.
TRAGEDY STRIKES
The next day we were sitting outside the house by the fire to warm ourselves. After some time my wife wanted to pass the baby to me. I was sitting directly opposite her - across the fire. She stood up and I stood and she started to hand the child to me.
Our infant was wrapped in a cloth and as my wife began to pass me the baby, suddenly the child fell from in between our arms directly onto the fire. The fire was burning with flames upwards of 2 ft high. The child started crying loudly and violently.
I was frozen, panic-stricken, and in shock. Temporarily I lost sight of what to do. In a moment, my senses returned and I readied to pull my dear baby from the burning flames.
Taking Baba's name, I reached into the fire and grabbed my son, along with the cloth. I then did a quick check of him - expecting the worst. By Baba's grace nothing happened - my boy was neither burned nor hurt from the fall. I just closed my eyes surrendering to Baba, knowing that He watches over everything.
Seeing my son saved from this life-threatening tragedy was most astonishing for my whole family and the entire village. Nobody could believe their eyes. They were incredulous - totally in awe of what had just transpired. Especially those villagers who had been watching directly and saw the incident first-hand.
My neighbor said, "Your Guru must have done something to save child."
I replied, "It is Baba's grace. He has blessed me with the inspiration to follow His commandments and it is His duty to save us from such a tragedy."
Today my son is a strong and devoted margii.
REFLECTION
All in all it was quite a moving scene. Before that incident my family was opposed to Ananda Marga and after that my entire family took initiation and became devotees of Baba, Lord Shrii Shrii Anandamurtiji.
Everyone understood that everything happens according to the sweet will of Parama Purusa. What He wants, that happens. Without His permission nothing can happen.
I fully appreciate this Prabhat Samgiita:
"Ta'r man jodi ca'y saba kichu hay dhu'limaya e
dharan'iite" (PS #207)
Meaning: If His mind desires, when He wishes,
anything can happen on this dusty earth - the impossible become
possible.
DHARMA SAVES
According to Baba's guideline, I tried to follow His teaching and by His grace the tragedy was averted. Actually, I did not have the strength to follow - He gave me the strength, so all credit goes to Baba.
Dharma rakśati rakśitah
Baba says, "“One who protects dharma is protected by dharma.” Dharma saves the dhármika [the upholder of dharma] in the material sphere, in the subtle sphere and in the causal sphere. When dharma saves people in the material sphere, they experience it before their very eyes, they hear it with their ears, they feel it with the tenderness of touch. When dharma helps them in the causal sphere, they experience it by loving Parama Puruśa with all the sweetness of their hearts. This feeling has no external expression. When dharma saves people in the subtle sphere, they experience it through deep reflection." (Namah Shiváya Shántáya, Disc 11: Shivokti 11)
Namaskar,
Ramshreya
PRABHAT SAMGIITA
"Maner ma'jhe kon se ka'je a'cho balo na'..." (P.S. #2033)
Purport:
Baba, You are hiding in my mind. What do You go on doing there? You are sitting in the depths of my mind, and listening to all my thoughts. Nothing can remain hidden from You. Baba, it is impossible to hide anything from You -- what a torture this is.
Your liila, Your divine play, is very vast-- verily immeasurable like the infinite ocean. To understand Your divine liila is very difficult. When I go to measure the depth of Your liila, then my whole existence is lost. Only consciousness remains floating. By Your grace my mind becomes one with You. My "I feeling" gets lost.
Baba, if You do not want to get held, please tell me what You want. If I know Your desire, then I will change my desire and make it parallel to Your desire. What You like, that will be my desire. Baba, You are eternally hiding in my mind and heart. Nothing remains unknown to You...
