Nama Article- 15-07-08

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Radhe Krishna To All,

 

Sri Sri Muralidhara Swamiji

 

Gopanna (Bhadrachalam Ramadas) used to celebrate the Rama Navami utsav in a

grand way every year. His wife herself cooked food for all the guests for she

realized what an honour it was to cook for all these Sadhus. Therefore, she did

not leave it in the hands of hired cooks but took it upon herself. It was late

evening and Nama Kirtan was going on. Gopanna’s wife had prepared dinner for

the guests. She put her little son Raghav to sleep and placing a lamp beside him

moved to the place where Nama Kirtan was going on. It was her husband who sang

which made it all the more interesting for her and they were all his kirtans.

She was enjoying the kirtans and after a while, the mother she was, she moved to

check her child.

 

But lo! the child was not to be found where she had put him to sleep. After she

had left him, the child had woken up. The lamp had been blown out and being

dark, the scared child searching out for the mother had reached the place where

dinner had been prepared. The ‘kanji’ (starch) from the cooked rice had been

filtered nearby on the floor and the child in the dark stepped on to it. He

slipped and fell into the boiling hot ‘kanji’ and died. The mother searched

for her little son and found the dead child. The wife of a great devotee of Rama

she out beat her husband. She suppressed her grief and tears as the thought

crossed her, “If I were to cry for my dead child Rama Navami utsav will come

to a stop. This cannot be allowed to happen. The guests should be fed.†She

wrapped the body of the child in a sack and placed it aside where none could see

it. She then went about her work.

 

As soon as the Nama Kirtan was over she served food for all the guests. As they

were being served one of the Sadhus asked Gopanna, “Where is your little son

Raghav? I have not seen him around?†Gopanna looked questioningly at wife. She

quietly took him aside and showed him the dead body of the child. Gopanna was

also grief stricken; He was also astounded at his wife’s behaviour in such a

situation. Meanwhile the Sadhus had gathered there and learnt about the

incident. They, too, grieved over the mishap. Gopanna consoled them, " Rama

blessed me with this child and He has now taken him back. The child has gone to

a better place - to the Lotus Feet of Lord Rama. We should not cry over this!â€

However, the Sadhus said, “No, Gopanna! What will the world say? You are a

Rama Bhakta. You are celebrating His utsava. The people will scoff at your Rama

for bringing this upon you. This incident will bring a bad name to your Rama.â€

Saying so, all of them

together prayed to Lord Rama pleading with him to restore the child to life.

Just then a Yogi came in and enquired in a demanding tone, “What is happening

here?†He was informed of the child’s death. The Yogi said, “Died? Who

says the child is dead? He is not.†And tapping the child the Yogi said,

“Get up!†and the child woke up! The Yogi quickly went out of the door.

Gopanna who had followed the Yogi quickly saw the form of Kothandapãni Rama

before he disappeared from sight. This only intensified his faith that the Lord

was taking care of him in every way.

 

Chant the Mahamantra Nama kirtan :

 

Hare Rama Hare Rama Rama Rama Hare Hare

Hare Krishna Hare Krishna Krishna Krishna Hare Hare

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