Tuesday, February 23, 2010

One can speak with God if there is an earnest longing.

       Sri Brahmachaitanya Maharaj on His Steed

An official from a bank in Bombay once talked over the telephone with another in a bank in Solapur. The officer from the bank in Solapur asked his regards to be conveyed to Shri Maharaj. When this was done, Shri Maharaj enquired, "What is the distance between Bombay and Solapur?" The officer replied, "It is at least two hundred and seventy miles." Shri Maharaj asked, :|"How was it possible for you two to talk with each other across such a great distance?"The officer described the working of a telephone. Towhich Shri Maharaj said, "If such be the case, then why should it sound impossible or untrue if I were to say that saints and devotees can communicate with God? When you speak from Bombay to someone in Solapur, there is a wire to carry the sound, and you must speak into the mouthpiece.Likewise, remember that if one were to fashion a mouthpiece in the form of an earnest longing, it is easily possible to speak with God. To fashion a mouthpiece in the form of an earnest longing, love for God needs to be aroused. The only way this can be aroused is by sincerely observing the practice of Namasmarana. That is why I say that everything gets accomplished when one observes the practice of Namasmarana with sincerity.

Sri Guru Paduka (Sandals) installed in Jhambhivili,Karjath,Raighad Dist.



On 15thFeb 2010, Sri Brahmachaithanya Maharaj's devotee Shri Arun Gangal and his family got Shri Guru Paduka, made in granite in the same style and design of the one in Gondavale, installed in the precincts of their ancestral home, at Jhambhivili, 7 kms from Karjath, Raighad District, about 60 kms from Mumbai. Many devotees including all the trustees of Gondavale, were present at the time of installation. A week long celebration was held including Naama jap, Bhajans, Pravachans, Annadaan and other devotional activities. A group of Chinthamani Mandir devotees also attended the function on the last two days.

A special mention has to be made here, that the Holy Padukas are installed in the same place where Poojya Tatya Saheb Ketkar Maharaj sat to give the Pravachan on the Pethi (the planchette  on which Shri Bhrama Chaithanya Maharaj spoke in the voice of Shri Ketkar Maharaj).when he visited Jhambhivili.
And another important information is that Shri Ketkar Maharaj's Asthis (remains) are laid down and a Brindavan is built and maintained on the other side of the house. Some pictures are included here.

Saturday, February 13, 2010

What ought One to remember "Death" For?


Once a railway booking clerk met Sri Maharaj. Sri Maharaj asked him, "Is it not true that signboards advising people to buy return tickets when travelling to the suburbs are displayed at railway stations?"The booking clerk said, "Yes, and well-informed people usually do buy return tickets". Sri Maharaj said, "Whenever God sends a living being to earth, He sends it with a return ticket in the form of its death warrant.If a traveller asks you for a one-way ticket,you can give him one. But it will never be possible for God to do  likewise. One ought to remember that every being born into this world does so with a return ticket in the form of its death warrant in its  pocket. When one constantly remembers Death, sinful and selfish behaviour will automatically diminish. With a reduction in sinful behaviour, good desires will awaken, and one will be drawn, little by little, towards attainment of God; when this happens, one will have a mind to chant Nama. When Nama is chanted love for God will automatically arise. With the arising of love for God, a continual awareness of God will result. Such awareness will cause the heart to be cleansed.With the cleansing of the heart, a steadfastness of the mind may be accomplished. And when this occurs, one's task will have been fulfilled."