Thanks to all!

[Guest guest]

Dear Divine Siblings!

I was quite moved by the overwhelming response to my query! Thank you

one and all for responding so quickly. Amma, as usual, solved the

problem very effectively. I needed it for an important meeting.

As one copy is sufficient for me for future reference, (and I did not

see other mails before I replied to Premarupa!), I guess that problem is

solved!

I know I have been very quiet on the Ammanet and egroup due to some

hectic schedule, but I wanted to comment on Bala's wedding ceremony. It

is said that marriages are made in heaven! (In Bala's case, that seems

to be extremely accurate!). I was very touched to hear about how Amma

called them to the room, adorned Madhubala with Her own hands and

blessed the couple! They must have done tapas for many lives to have

gotten this rare fruit.

I am reminded of a story that Sister Nivedita wrote -

Once there lived a poor Brahmin with his wife. He eked out a living by

conducting minor rituals for the villagers. In his spare time, he

translated the Bhagavad Gita. As he was translating, he came upon a

verse, where Lord Krishna assures His devotees that when they surrender

their all, He himself carries to them whatever they need. As the Brahmin

was writing, he thought, "This could not be correct! Why would the

Supreme Monarch carry things to His devotees? He would probably have

them sent." Thinking thus, he scratched out the words. After finishing

his piece, he asked for his towel, a lttle oil and set out to bathe in

the river. As he was about to leave, his wife reminded him that there

was nothing to eat in the house. Resignedly, the Brahmin said, "Don't

worry! The Lord will provide!"

In his absence, a young boy arrived at the door, panting. He was

carrying a heavy basket on his head. He called out and the lady came to

the door. Seeing the heavy load, she quickly helped him put it down and

asked, "My child! Who are you? Who sent you? That is quite a heavy load

for a little child!" Panting, the child replied, "It was your husband

who sent me here with all this foodstuff." As he turned to leave, she

noticed that his back was heavily scratched and bleeding. Horrified, she

asked, "My child! Who did this to you?" The child replied breathlessly,

"Mother! It was your husband!" Saying this he left in a hurry.

When the Brahmin returned from his bath, he found his wife livid with

rage. He asked, "Dear one! Why are you so angry?" She attacked, "How

dare you send such a heavy load with that poor child and why did you

beat him, making his back bleed?"

The Brahmin was genuinely taken aback! He sputtered, "Wh..what are you

saying? I sent no child and nor did I hurt anyone."

Thereupon, she showed him the basket loaded with delicacies and narrated

the story. With a jolt, the Brahmin realized that the little boy was

actually Krishna in disguise! He had come to prove to the Brahmin that

the Lord indeed carries to His devotees whatever they need, instead of

sending them through a messenger! With tears in his eyes, he embraced

his wife and said, "Beloved! You are more fortunate than me to have had

a direct darshan of the Lord!"

(Similarly, Amma Herself adorned Madhu. She did not ask some Ashram

resident to dress her. And why was that? Had not this family surrendered

their all to Amma? It is said that even if there is one single sannyasi

in the family, seven genrations are liberated. Swami Ramakrishna is not

an ordinary man. When he first came to see Amma, Amma did not see him as

a physical being but an effulgent light. Truly we are the most fortunate

beings on earth, who get to hob-nob with such great souls!

Jai Ma!

Chandrika