Blessed Birthday

||Aum Sri Ramakrishna Sharanam||

|| Aum Namo Narayanaya||

Master Sri Ramakrishna - Glen Anil Ashram altar
Pic Courtesy: Swami Vimokshananda Google+

We say that 'age is but a number'... it is a technique that we have devised to psychologically convince ourselves that we have not aged. To a certain extent, it can be argued that you are as young as you feel but there is no denying that every second that passes brings with it a confirmation that the manifested body is another second closer to its end. I am not a sadist but this thought dawned upon me whilst I spent some solitude hours at the Ramakrishna Ashram on the eve of my birthday. I started a little tradition a few years back... to usher in my birthday in the holy company of Swami Vimokshananda within the divine precincts of the Ashram. Last year, Swamiji's (Vimokshananda) post-operative recovery did not facilitate a sleep-over but Maharaj -so full of compassion and love- allowed me to visit Him on my birthday, just a week and a half of being released from hospital. 

My sincere prayers to Master were answered this year when I wrote to Swamiji making an impassionate plea to celebrate this special birthday with Swamiji. It was not special in the fact of it being my birthday but for the reason that it would be the last birthday that I would spend in the company of revered Maharaj as He would be going to Singapore in a few weeks. Every birthday was like an Upanishad. At the feet of the Master, a spark of wisdom would emerge that would burn asunder the overgrowth of ignorance and other characteristics that thwarted the spiritual revolution within. It was a delight... and this year was no different. We often read with awe and with a tinge of envy of how some devotees in the era of great saints were able to be in their presence and offer service to them. Our Swamis have told us that in these contemporary times where we are not in the physical presence of our Gurus, following their spiritual instructions is in itself service to them. I have understood that quite profoundly but my mind still hankered upon the idea to serve the Guru in a more palpable manner.

Although my Gurudev is some 7000 kilometers away in Kolkata, India... Sri Ramakrishna understanding my desire allowed this to be fulfilled through Swami Vimokshananda. The two days prior to my birthday Maharaj graciously allowed me to be His sarathi (charioteer). On Saturday we left Ashram by 06:00am itself to be at the Brake Village Soobramanier Alayam in Tongaat to witness the abhishegam of Lord Murugan during the auspicious period of Skanda Sashti. Here Maharaj spoke on the glory of Lord Muruga. The next day after the final Kurral class, all the devotees gathered at Uncle Preggie's house for a special satsang and lunch. To date, some devotees are still bathing in the divine energy that flowed in the company of Swamiji.

It was after lunch that an ordinary birthday became extra-ordinary. The devotees had arranged surprise birthday cake. I was overwhelmed with joy but became emotional when Maharaj Himself became the director of programmes. It was the first birthday celebrated in a spiritual way.  That evening after an hour or so of rest, we proceeded to Nirisksha's home for a little prayer service. After some spiritual discussions, the family members sang the most melodious bhajans in praise of the divine. The air was divinely charged with the purity and sincerity that emanated from the entire family. It was such an auspicious way to end the eve of my birthday.

Reclining on my bed in the late hours of the night, the day passed by in reflection and left a sweet taste in my mind. But that was soon displaced by some serious contemplation when a little broader introspection involved the past 38 years of life. In as much as we cannot even be compared to the dust of Swami Vivekananda’s feet, I began to appreciate the magnanimous contributions that He made to the whole of humanity in just the 39 years that He lived upon the earth. Although Swamiji endowed with such intellect could easily have used His qualifications to pursue a comfortable material existence, He sacrificed all comforts and dedicated His life to the worship of His Lord who He saw manifest in the suffering masses of Hiscountry.  He suffered the pangs of hunger and pains of the body through His travels of India, and even in the comfort of America... His heart and eyes welled with tears for His suffering brethren. Such empathy is unparallelled... and yet to seen.

It troubles me to think how so many young people well endowed with resources and education cannot think of anything but themselves... leave alone extending financial assistance in charitable projects;  they cannot even give a few hours of their time in raising the living conditions of their fellow mankind. So having reached this milestone age of 39, I am deeply inspired by the life of Swami Vivekananda. It is humanly impossible to come close to even to a tenth of Swami Vivekananda’s achievements but if I can at least help another understand their potential divinity... I would have set in motion a machinery that will exponentially deliver goodness to the world. 

Speaking at the Brake Village Temple, Maharaj expounded Lord Muruga as 'guha' which means the 'one who dwells in the cave of the heart'... allowing me to be His charioteer Maharaj implied that the Lord dwells in my heart and is the charioteer of my destiny. Victory will come if I expose and express this divinity and let it do its job.

I also take this opportunity to thank everybody for their love, prayers and good wishes in making my birthday a memorable one. May Master, Mother and Swamiji bless you always.

With love and prayers

Yogan