Guest guest Posted March 3, 2005 Report Share Posted March 3, 2005 It was the evening of Shivaratri. We were gathered in the temple of the Devi Mandir. Swamiji was helping each individual offer the first abishekam to the Shiva Lingam. Short little pujas with offerings of milk and flower petals. Shree Maa was sitting off to the right side of the temple facing the altar. She had led a song or two. All of the musicians and singers were in the front, facing the altar. There was a wonderful disciple whom I will call M. He could play the keyboard, the guitar and the mandolin beautifully, with great devotion. But he had a self-concept that he could not sing. The group had just started singing “Shiva, Shiva, Shiva Shambo”. Suddenly Shree Maa got up, walked in front of the musicians and left the temple. This was very unusual. I had never seen her leave in the middle of a service or satsang. I was sitting right next to M. He had a microphone in front of him. He was playing the mandolin. The rest of us were singing with great vigor and love. We sang the same bhajan over and over and over. Suddenly I realized that M. had joined in the singing. He was singing with great devotion and joy and freedom; his self-concept had disappeared. The depth of his devotion was very strong and pure. The bhav was incredible. Some of the women in the front row were bouncing up and down. Swamiji was radiant. We just couldn’t get enough of this bhajan! Shiva, Shiva, Shiva Shambo..Mahadeva Shambo. I felt that we could sing it forever. Then Shree Maa came back into the temple. Once again she walked in front of the line of musicians. She looked very happy. When she got to M. she said “you sang!” and gave him a very approving smile. He stopped mid-note and looked shocked. Then Maa took her place and led us in singing “Please take my hand, Lord”. It was as though her sweetness and her devotion were empowering all of us to reach a new level of joy and devotion. Attachment: (text/enriched) [not stored] Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted March 3, 2005 Report Share Posted March 3, 2005 Namaste, dear Ardis Ji! Once again, dear sister, your are cooling my yearning, burning heart with your cooling nectarine showers of Devi Mandir stories. Listening to you tell your experiences, enables me/us to feel the Bhava you felt. Also, you are gearing us up for our coming Mahasivaratri and making us firm and joyful in the Sankalpa some of us have taken. i feel so thank-ful and blessed that you are a part of this Holy Devi Mandir Family! Jai Maa! Jai Swamiji! Jai Ramakrishna Deva! muktimaa , Ardis Jackson <ardis1@v...> wrote: > It was the evening of Shivaratri. We were gathered in the temple of > the Devi Mandir. Swamiji was helping each individual offer the first > abishekam to the Shiva Lingam. Short little pujas with offerings of > milk and flower petals. > > Shree Maa was sitting off to the right side of the temple facing the > altar. She had led a song or two. All of the musicians and singers > were in the front, facing the altar. > > There was a wonderful disciple whom I will call M. He could play the > keyboard, the guitar and the mandolin beautifully, with great devotion. > But he had a self-concept that he could not sing. > > The group had just started singing "Shiva, Shiva, Shiva Shambo". > Suddenly Shree Maa got up, walked in front of the musicians and left > the temple. This was very unusual. I had never seen her leave in the > middle of a service or satsang. > > I was sitting right next to M. He had a microphone in front of him. > He was playing the mandolin. The rest of us were singing with great > vigor and love. We sang the same bhajan over and over and over. > Suddenly I realized that M. had joined in the singing. He was singing > with great devotion and joy and freedom; his self-concept had > disappeared. The depth of his devotion was very strong and pure. The > bhav was incredible. Some of the women in the front row were bouncing > up and down. Swamiji was radiant. We just couldn't get enough of this > bhajan! Shiva, Shiva, Shiva Shambo..Mahadeva Shambo. I felt that we > could sing it forever. > > Then Shree Maa came back into the temple. Once again she walked in > front of the line of musicians. She looked very happy. When she got > to M. she said "you sang!" and gave him a very approving smile. He > stopped mid-note and looked shocked. > > Then Maa took her place and led us in singing "Please take my hand, > Lord". It was as though her sweetness and her devotion were empowering > all of us to reach a new level of joy and devotion. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted March 4, 2005 Report Share Posted March 4, 2005 Thank you for your kind words. It makes me very happy to be able to inspire others on their path. May your Shivaratri be filled with Lord Shiva's Consciousness of Infinite Goodness. Ardis On Mar 3, 2005, at 7:00 PM, muktimaa wrote: > > > Namaste, dear Ardis Ji! > Once again, dear sister, your are cooling my yearning, burning heart > with your cooling nectarine showers of Devi Mandir stories. Listening > to you tell your experiences, enables me/us to feel the Bhava you > felt. Also, you are gearing us up for our coming Mahasivaratri and > making us firm and joyful in the Sankalpa some of us have taken. > i feel so thank-ful and blessed that you are a part of this Holy Devi > Mandir Family! Jai Maa! Jai Swamiji! Jai Ramakrishna Deva! > muktimaa > > > > > > , Ardis Jackson <ardis1@v...> wrote: > > It was the evening of Shivaratri. We were gathered in the temple > of > > the Devi Mandir. Swamiji was helping each individual offer the > first > > abishekam to the Shiva Lingam. Short little pujas with offerings > of > > milk and flower petals. > > > > Shree Maa was sitting off to the right side of the temple facing > the > > altar. She had led a song or two. All of the musicians and > singers > > were in the front, facing the altar. > > > > There was a wonderful disciple whom I will call M. He could play > the > > keyboard, the guitar and the mandolin beautifully, with great > devotion. > > But he had a self-concept that he could not sing. > > > > The group had just started singing "Shiva, Shiva, Shiva > Shambo". > > Suddenly Shree Maa got up, walked in front of the musicians and > left > > the temple. This was very unusual. I had never seen her leave in > the > > middle of a service or satsang. > > > > I was sitting right next to M. He had a microphone in front of > him. > > He was playing the mandolin. The rest of us were singing with > great > > vigor and love. We sang the same bhajan over and over and over. > > Suddenly I realized that M. had joined in the singing. He was > singing > > with great devotion and joy and freedom; his self-concept had > > disappeared. The depth of his devotion was very strong and pure. > The > > bhav was incredible. Some of the women in the front row were > bouncing > > up and down. Swamiji was radiant. We just couldn't get enough > of > this > > bhajan! Shiva, Shiva, Shiva Shambo..Mahadeva Shambo. I felt that > we > > could sing it forever. > > > > Then Shree Maa came back into the temple. Once again she walked in > > front of the line of musicians. She looked very happy. When she > got > > to M. she said "you sang!" and gave him a very approving > smile. He > > stopped mid-note and looked shocked. > > > > Then Maa took her place and led us in singing "Please take my > hand, > > Lord". It was as though her sweetness and her devotion were > empowering > > all of us to reach a new level of joy and devotion. > > > Sponsor > > > <22305_0205_016_b_300250_a.gif> > <l.gif> > > Links > > • > / > > • > > > • Terms of > Service. > > Attachment: (text/enriched) [not stored] Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted March 5, 2005 Report Share Posted March 5, 2005 It is great to listen to such beautiful memories. We are blessed. I remember reading some experiences in the ashramam in the group. This is sathsang. Thank you Maa Ardis. Counting the hours before Sivaratri. Some small worries like getting 108 bilva leave clusters. Jai MAA !!! , Ardis Jackson <ardis1@v...> wrote: > It was the evening of Shivaratri. We were gathered in the temple of > the Devi Mandir. Swamiji was helping each individual offer the first Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Recommended Posts
Join the conversation
You are posting as a guest. If you have an account, sign in now to post with your account.
Note: Your post will require moderator approval before it will be visible.