Gurumaharaj here illustrates how the Ishta ( the preferred deity) plays a Divine Game with a worthy seeker at the highest stage of Anumana Bhajana.
Gurumaharaj : Now many such incidents occur to me. I can recollect one such incident in Bambev’s ( Bamakhepa) life. One day Bamdev was evacuating by the river Dwaraka. Suddenly the goddess Tara appeared in front of him and said,” You have been here all this while! They have offered me so many delicious dishes at the temple. Come with me and feast on them !” Like an innocent infant Bamdev follwed the Mother right away. On reaching the temple he was overjoyed to see all the delectable dishes arrayed in front of the idol of the goddess Tara. Such lavish spread must have been offered to the goddess on the occasion of some festival or for the wish fulfilment of some rich devotee. Who would prevent Bamdev from obeying his Mother’s order? He started gorging on the delicious dishes with his poo nestling between his buttcheeks. Someone noticed him while he was hurriedly polishing off puri, sweets, pulav and sandesh. That person rushed to inform the priests of the temple about this. In no time the priests turned up inside the temple and battered Bambev. They left him unconscious and nearly dead at the necropolis beside the river. He regained his consciousness by divine intervention. Immediately after that he flew into a rage at goddess Tara. He shouted,” You don’t have any practical sense. You invited me to the temple for enjoying the food and got me beaten so bad !” He muttered angrily,” Wait! I’ll teach you a lesson. I’ll see to it so that your temple is hit by lightning strike !” That’s what he did. Within a few days lightnining struck Tarapith Temple and a part of the temple tower was damaged.
As a matter of fact Bamdev was beaten by the priests but he got angry at the goddess Tara and began cursing Her. So, this is the true sign of a great saint. Great saints like Bamdev knew very well that this Samsara is governed by the Divine Mother. Nothing here happens without her accord. They know that a person is not actually responsible for any incident. A person is just playing a role. The Divine Mother is herself responsible for everything.
However, this was also a form of worship for Bamdev. How can we explain Bamdev’s relationship with his Mother, the goddess Tara through the strict rules of Vaidhi Bhakti?
This is how a Divine Game is played with the worthy seekers. It may be through Anumana Bhajana or Bartamana Bhajana. It is not at all an easy task to be a true devotee. If one is truly innocent, then only he or she can become a true devotee. ” In one crore seekers who have gone beyond all kinds of attachments only a handful can be considered to be true devotee.” Now you must have realized what I’m trying to suggest. Many seekers can be free from every emotional bond and material attachment by sincerely practising meditation, constant prayer and dedicated worship.But hardly any of them can become a true devotee. One has to attain the Nirveda state to become a true devotee. Thus, while Lord Shiva failed to enter the Raasmanch of Vrindavan, the Gopis who were the ordinary housewives of a village have the entitlement to do so. One can never be a part of the Leela ( the Divine Game) through the rituals mentioned in the Vedas or austere forms of sadhana. Only through these forms of Avaidhi Bhakti one can taste the nectar of the Leela.
( After saying these words Gurumaharaj suddenly had a series of hiccups and he stood up. Thus, he ended that day’s satsang by saying, ” You all made me have so many hiccups! ”
[ Translated by Amitava Saha]
Gurumaharaj : Now many such incidents occur to me. I can recollect one such incident in Bambev’s ( Bamakhepa) life. One day Bamdev was evacuating by the river Dwaraka. Suddenly the goddess Tara appeared in front of him and said,” You have been here all this while! They have offered me so many delicious dishes at the temple. Come with me and feast on them !” Like an innocent infant Bamdev follwed the Mother right away. On reaching the temple he was overjoyed to see all the delectable dishes arrayed in front of the idol of the goddess Tara. Such lavish spread must have been offered to the goddess on the occasion of some festival or for the wish fulfilment of some rich devotee. Who would prevent Bamdev from obeying his Mother’s order? He started gorging on the delicious dishes with his poo nestling between his buttcheeks. Someone noticed him while he was hurriedly polishing off puri, sweets, pulav and sandesh. That person rushed to inform the priests of the temple about this. In no time the priests turned up inside the temple and battered Bambev. They left him unconscious and nearly dead at the necropolis beside the river. He regained his consciousness by divine intervention. Immediately after that he flew into a rage at goddess Tara. He shouted,” You don’t have any practical sense. You invited me to the temple for enjoying the food and got me beaten so bad !” He muttered angrily,” Wait! I’ll teach you a lesson. I’ll see to it so that your temple is hit by lightning strike !” That’s what he did. Within a few days lightnining struck Tarapith Temple and a part of the temple tower was damaged.
As a matter of fact Bamdev was beaten by the priests but he got angry at the goddess Tara and began cursing Her. So, this is the true sign of a great saint. Great saints like Bamdev knew very well that this Samsara is governed by the Divine Mother. Nothing here happens without her accord. They know that a person is not actually responsible for any incident. A person is just playing a role. The Divine Mother is herself responsible for everything.
However, this was also a form of worship for Bamdev. How can we explain Bamdev’s relationship with his Mother, the goddess Tara through the strict rules of Vaidhi Bhakti?
This is how a Divine Game is played with the worthy seekers. It may be through Anumana Bhajana or Bartamana Bhajana. It is not at all an easy task to be a true devotee. If one is truly innocent, then only he or she can become a true devotee. ” In one crore seekers who have gone beyond all kinds of attachments only a handful can be considered to be true devotee.” Now you must have realized what I’m trying to suggest. Many seekers can be free from every emotional bond and material attachment by sincerely practising meditation, constant prayer and dedicated worship.But hardly any of them can become a true devotee. One has to attain the Nirveda state to become a true devotee. Thus, while Lord Shiva failed to enter the Raasmanch of Vrindavan, the Gopis who were the ordinary housewives of a village have the entitlement to do so. One can never be a part of the Leela ( the Divine Game) through the rituals mentioned in the Vedas or austere forms of sadhana. Only through these forms of Avaidhi Bhakti one can taste the nectar of the Leela.
( After saying these words Gurumaharaj suddenly had a series of hiccups and he stood up. Thus, he ended that day’s satsang by saying, ” You all made me have so many hiccups! ”
[ Translated by Amitava Saha]