stories, songs and poems by bhaktas for bhaktas

[Sw. Vandana Jyothi]

For me, it's bold to share and even more bold to ask devotees to share their love offerings to God. And some of our stories, songs and poems, of course, will rightly remain a secret strictly between OneGod and His/Her devotee. But what about the others? Do you have something you are willing to share?

Devotion to God is not taught, it is "caught." Or as if one candle flame is lighting another. I believe that in song and story and hymns and poems and praises, the Light of Love is ignited--or perhaps one dimmed by the battering winds of life is fanned into a blazing fire--by the sharing, freely, of our heart's Love, and so I offer mine. Namaste.

Thank God for Guru
O Keshava!
Hidden here within my heart
Ever offered to You
Are words and poems and Songs of Love
In honor of the Guru.

But trapped by maya and karma-bound
I still struggle to express
Just a word, just one word
That describes Your lovingness.

You prankster You! You God of gods!
It is by Your power compelling
That I know Your secret Word of Words
And You keep the “me” from telling!

Oh, God! When will this “I-ness” die
And the Word again come to me?
Face to face, my soul embraced—
In communion with Sri Hari?

Perhaps that day (with patience won)
The Light of Love returneth
With Peace Supreme and Lawful Order
To hear my vow of service.

‘til then, I offer the Lord of Lords
Both mantra and prostration
And forever and ever undying allegiance
With each heartfelt salutation....

 

[Sw. Vandana Jyothi]

Yeah, I knew it was a big ask, I'm sorry, maybe much too personal. But I'm getting on in years now, 73 in a bit, had a heart attack last year, fell on ice this year, don't feel so hot today , you know the inevitable body stuff. I feel it would be neglecting my loving duty (svadharma) not to share some of the "miraculous" or some would call supernatural interactions I've experienced personally with our loving God on this life's journey. Which definitely is not to say that any of you would be neglecting your duties if you don't. Please don't go there. Can you just revel and marvel along with me instead? I want to share these blessings with my brothers and sisters and like I once said elsewhere in the forum, "Everybody loves a good God story."

It’s hard to know where to slot one of my most treasured memories of God and Guru playing with His devotee. On my 39th birthday, Rajeshwari (an ashram dasi) prepared a giant-sized, institutional-sized sheet cake in addition to the normal hearty meal. At the end of the satsang, during the arati, she disappears for a few moments and returns with that huge cake, candles spread and on fire, forty of them—one extra for good luck—with as much distance as possible between them. It looks like a little football field at half time with the band spread yards apart from each other across the field from one goal post to the other, all waving sparklers.

Guruji is still seated on his asana. The room is pretty crowded. Everybody sings “Happy Birthday to You” and when they finish, Guruji smiles at me and says, “Make a wish.”

I don’t get a fraction of a second to think, not even, before Guruji says, “Wish for the success of the Lord Dattatreya and Ganesha books!” Those are the ones I was currently typesetting on a Mac Plus with the 9” screen. Happy to oblige, by now I know the Indian way of signaling assent, which until you do, you think people are saying ‘no’ when they’re really saying ‘yes.’

So, I consent to his wish for my birthday, open my mouth and draw in a deep breath. I'm going to need a lot of wind to mow down the band. But before I can exhale, while I and most everyone else are looking at the flaming candles, the power to burn is withdrawn from every single one of them all at the same time. Out. Flames out. Gone. Snuffed.

A chorus of audible gasps fills the room. Beyond delighted (!), I spin around to Guruji and laugh loudly, exuberantly, like a little girl. What a great birthday present! His eyes are twinkling and he just smiles. Everybody sees it happen… everybody except one devotee, who frequently hinted how pleased he would be if Guruji would only show his mastery of the siddhis (the so-called supernatural powers)....​