I was working on two reports for university last night. They weren't due today but I wanted to submit them as I have holidays starting tomorrow and I didn't want to spend them stressing out about my reports that were due. So I was working late into the night. I took a shower at around 2 AM and I was absolutely planning on not chanting for the day as I was just wiped out. I was really exhausted and literally braindead. I thought that I would just go ahead and chant anyway. But I was way too sleepy. I was contemplating all this while I was in the shower. I was telling myself not to break my routine and that I should just go ahead and fight the sleepiness and chant. However I was seriously tired and didn't feel like I had it in me to chant.
So I got out of the shower and without even contemplating on whether I should chant or not, my hands reached out for my beads when I saw them. I was aware at the time that Krishna was being merciful to me and helping me to chant. I was so aware that I wasn't doing it because I really was exhausted. But I had just reached out for my beads. I had not even given myself a second to think about whether I should chant or not. I just went ahead and did it, and I'm really glad about it. Krishna really is working harder than me at my chanting! How supportive of Him!
After I finished one round, I kept my bead bags down for a minute and went into another room. I had left the door open so through the corner of my eye I thought I saw a white silhouette move by really fast, into my brother's room. Obviously enough, I got scared. It was probably a figment of my imagination, seeing how I was awake in the dead of the night and terribly sleep-deprived. Nevertheless, I think such entities are real and I was frightened. I called out to Nrishinga Dev to protect me. I I prayed to Krishna to look after me. Then I began my second round, chanting with some feelings of dependence, asking for shelter and protection. I went into my brother's room and chanted aloud there, trusting that the Lord's Holy Names will purify the atmosphere and drive out any evil entities that may be there. I came back to my room and continued chanting, feeling the fear and anxiety dissipate.
After I finished chanting, I raised my arms to pray a personal prayer. I related to Krishna as Giridhari (as the holder of Govardhan hill) and asked him to hold a hill over us, to protect us from harm, as only He can do. Prayers and praise flowed from my heart, sending me on an emotional wave. Krishna so mercifully lets me taste this bhakti from time to time. I wish I could feel so prayerful all the time. I want to be surrendered to Krishna at all times, for surrender to God is the real meaning of freedom.
My prayer for today: Krishna, Lord of the Universe, please be merciful to us. We desire only Your association, we desire only to serve You and worship You. Protect us, Lord, and shield us from harm, the way You lifted Govardhan hill to protect the inhabitants of Vridavan from torrential rains. Hold a hill above our heads and protect us from the downpour of miseries, Lord, as only You can. Govinda, You are the friend of the afflicted. You are the refuge of the destitute. Take us out of our misery by planting the seed of devotion in our hearts. Bless us with bhakti. Bless us with opportunities to serve You, who are fully worthy of love, reverence and worship. We know that we are always in Your thoughts, and so we pray that You may always be in ours. Grant us this, Lord. We only ask to rekindle our eternal loving relationship with You. Let us serve You, Lord. We really want to.
Haribol
Hi...that was so good to hear.
ReplyDeletei have heard of a lot of devotees having similar experiences, so it's nice that you chose to call out to Him. That, is THE best way. :)
//for surrender to God is the real meaning of freedom.///
:) :) :)
Thanks :)
ReplyDeleteBtw, regarding your other comment, I did it a long time ago. It's been unapproved although it still exists
Thanks drainpiper. Sorry about the inconvenience.
ReplyDeleteWhen i used to be in KSA, i once had a similar experience while saying Vishnu Sahasranaamam.
But, i think it was more of it going away hearing His names. It was moving towards the balcony, the moment we stareted saying Sahasranaamam.
Speak of the Lord's name and its infinite powers.
Even without our knowledge, He protects us by warding off evil.
Omg, reallyy?? I'm so curious! Could you talk about it like in detail, if that's okay? If you would rather not, that's fine too :)
ReplyDeleteAnd don't be sorry... It's perfectly alright :)
Actually it was very similar to what you described.
ReplyDeleteWe had just begun the evening aarti.
i say the Sahasranaamam everyday (well, almost, imagine the ironic situation that i am faced with while writing this- i have not done that the past 2 days)
So, that day, me and my mom had just begun saying, when my mom saw it. (i was 10 or 11 when this happened)
And, we both understood it was not a good force.
But, i think it is the immense power of the Lord's name which was actually driving it out, like it can't stay any longer.
The Sahasranaamam is His 1008 names, and so saying it is like chanting 1008 times. You must definitely try it if you have not done so already.
Even your experience is similar- it's happened after you have started chanting.
But, since it WAS moving to your bro's room, i guess you must make the Lord's presence felt in every nook and corner of your house.
Maybe you should try this- at the beginning of your evening aarti, just take the incense sticks with you, and start from your front doorway. Think of Krishna, and Goddess Lakshmi, and invite them home in your mind and carry it all around the house.
We do it almost everyday.
btw, remember you asking me to check out the Jaya Radhe song?
i had a wonderful experience thanks to it, so thanks for the tip.
Wow, that's so awesome! Krishna's names are just absolute and they're really His incarnation in this kali yuga huh! :)
ReplyDeleteYea I chanted one round and then went into another room to do something, pausing my chanting for a minute, and I saw a silhouette moving really fast into my brother's room. So I went there and chanted and after I finished chanting, I prayed to Krishna for His protection and to drive out any bad force that was there. I don't know if I was imagining it or what because my all the lights were off so it could have been a trick of the mind... but it was enough to scare me and Krishna's names were enough to drive away that fear.
I'm glad you liked the Jaya Radhe song... It's so beautiful... it really makes me feel like I'm in Vrindavan. Although I found that online there are 2 versions. Just to be clear, the one I'm referring to is with the words "Jaya Radha, Jaya Krishna, Jaya Vrindavan / Sri Govinda, Gopinatha, Madana Mohan"
Drainpiper, i really don't know which version it was, as i heard it in kirtan, and i was more taken in by the spirit of the kirtan, than anything else. But, whichever it was, it was blissful!
ReplyDeleteToday, something amazing happened to me. There is an utsav going on in our ancestral temple.
While we had forgotten about the exact date, today morning, during the aarti, i found myself thinking about Him, in that form.
And, to my surprise, the prasad tasted exactly as it does in His temple.
While the morning was overwhelming, i was going through my things in the afternoon, when i found the post in which the dates were mentioned!
And, that sent me into a tizzy coz i found out it WAS today!
i still cannot take in the magnitude of the whole thing. It was like, i forgot, and yet He was here to remind!!!
He actually blessed all of us with His presence. :)
You can chk out His photos on my blog. (Please do). It's titled irettai Tirupati.
Aww that was so sweet of Krishna! He's just so loving :)
ReplyDeleteIn the Bhagavad Gita, He says that He is our remembrance and forgetfulness. So He lovingly reminded you of the special day :) Haribol!
Yesterday I was craving cake so badly (I kind of always am, actually. Even more so since I turned vegetarian.) And yesterday I was invited for a KC program, and it was a couple's anniversary there and they cut a cake! I was sooo thrilled! Later, Mataji told me that Krishna fulfills our desires and the same thing happened to her a while ago when she craved some chocolate cake. She said that Krishna is in our hearts and so He knows all our desires. You clearly have the desire to serve Him. You know, I am so amazed because you keep telling me of all these little miracles and special things that happen in your life and around you. Please keep these coming. It encourages me so much! Krishna's hand in your life is just so evident. Would you please bless me to experience the Lord's presence in my life more and more with each passing day? Thank you :)
And thanks for directing me to the photos on your blog :) Very nice!
Hi
ReplyDeleteThis was such a nice read , and the comments too , i have recently become aware of krishna although i felt a connection with god ever since i was a kid and the knowledge has been like the sun in a dark room which opened after so many years. I would really like to discuss and talk more about this as there are so many times i find myself overwhelmed , but its ok if its not possible.
Hello,
ReplyDeleteYes, of course we can discuss this! :) It's always nice to talk :)