Brahmanandam-Premanandam

By, Vrudhula Subba Rao

Once Garga Maharshi was passing through a dense forest. He was surprised to see a lady full of divine lustre all around her was doing meditation. He approached her and asked her reverentially, ‘Mother! Who are you? What is the cause of your meditation? May I know?’

The divine lady replied, ‘Oh Garga Maharshi, know that I am to be Brahmanandam. Yet I am not satisfied. I am meditating upon Lord Krishna to grant me the boon of Premanandam. Please know that if ‘Brahmanandam’ is one ocean such thousand oceans can’t be equal to one drop of Premanandam even. This ‘Premanandam’ can be granted to me only by Lord Krishna and none else. Hence I am meditating upon Lord Krishna.

Thus it should be known to us that our Lord Haranath who is ‘Premananda Mayam Sakshat Poorna Brahma Sanatanam’ is none other than Lord Krishna – the story proves and as told by the Sanyasi too in Krishna Kunj to Bhagawandas Mody. (Our Baba’s episode follows)

Once our Thakur was serving in Jammu. There was a temple in Jammu, known as Ranabireshwar Devalaya. Thakur’s residence was near by it. After office work he used to take rest in the park adjacent to the temple.

A Sadhu used to visit that temple once in a year. He was an ardent devotee of Durga Mata. He used to offer prayers. He had no desire’s whatsoever. So his devotion was of the highest order and devoid of conceit.

During his first night’s stay in the temple he prayed to Mother Durga, ‘Mother, I know I have your blessings. Please fulfill only one and final desire of mine which is ‘Premanandam’ later on he slept on the second night to be continued with the same request. But to no avail.

On the third night too continued with the same request praying Maa Durga ardently. Mother appeared to him in the dream and said, “Beta, I can’t grant you this request. However I will tell you the person who can grant you this boon. One Bengali Babu daily comes into this garden and takes rest in the evenings. Don’t mistake him to be ordinary human. He is none other than Krishna who can grant this boon to you. Do not misjudge him by his ordinary appearance” and disappeared.

Next day evening he waited for Haranath Prabhu to come. As our Baba was taking rest he went and catching the feet of our Prabhu requested him for granting his boon. Baba, “I am a common house holder. I can’t do any miracles”. Sanyasi said, “My mother can’t be wrong. Please grant me Premanandam”. Showing mercy on the Sanyasi, Baba cast His divine glance on him. The desire of Sanyasi fulfilled.

So many years thereafter our Prabhu went to Bombay- stayed in ‘Krishna Kunj’. One day Baba told Bhagawandasji, “Look! One Sanyasi presently stays in Madhav baug Lakshmi Narayan Mandir Dharmasala at chowpatty which place you know. Go and bring him along with you.” Bhagawandasji did the same. The Sanyasi went to the Lord and Pranamed Him came back, sat in the last silently. All were surprised. But Bhagawandasji sitting by his side said, “Why you are silent- It shows that you know Baba since long. Tell us about him”. He replied, “I tell from my experience that Baba is none other than Bhagawan Krishna or Bal Gopal of Vraja. Trust me from experience narrated to you.” “Premananda Mayam Sakshat Poorna Brahma Sanatanam” is our Baba.

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Joy Sri Sri Kusum Haranath