 |
| Rajarshi Vanamali |
Born in 1863 Rājarsi Śrī Banamālī Rājābāhādura was the landlord of Tānāsa in district Pābanā of East Bengal. He was conferred the title of Rājā by the British Government. He had inherited the religious samaskāras of his parents. While he was still in the womb, his father Śrī Gangāprasāda Rāya and his mother had gone on pilgrimage to Purī on foot. Not very long after his birth, the parents gave him in adoption to Rāja Banavāri Lāla, the Landlord of Tānāsa and went to Vrndāvana for bhajana.
Banavāri Lāla died when Banamālī Lāla was only 17 years old. The burden of running the affairs of the big zamīindari of Tānāsa fell upon his shoulders. Like noble landlord, who had the well-being of his people very much at heart, he started constructing wells and rest houses and opened schools and hospitals in his estate. But his inner life from the very beginning was that of a sādhaka. He had come under the influence of Brāhma sampradāya and was practising sādhanā according to the teachings of the sampradāya.
The story of his life is mainly connected with the story of his family deity Śrī Jī. Originally Rādhāvinoda Jī was found mysteriously by Śrī Vānchārāma Jī., the adhikarī (managing authority) of Navagrāma, a village in Tānāsa estate. Vānchārāma was a very devoted person. Every day before his sevā-pujā he went to bathe in the river Karatoyā in Navagrāma. One day while he was bathing he heard someone saying in a sweet voice, “Take me out of water to your home.” Vānchārāma looked around , but he could not discover the source of the voice. He went home after bathing, but the voice kept ringing in his ears. The next day, when he went to bathe, he gain heard the same voice, but he could not locate where it came from. The third day, when he was going out of the river after bathing, he heard the voice again and simultaneously felt that something had clung to his feet. He brought it out. And lo! It was the beautiful idol of Rādhāvinoda. For some time he stood dazed and petrified. Then he hugged it and bathed it with the tears of his eyes. There was horripilation, shivering and sweating all over his body.
Rādhāvinoda alone knows how long and how intensely he had cherished the desire to be hugged by this devotee and to bathe in his tears of joy and love. He did not even hesitate to touch his feet for fulfillment! Nothing strange for him, for he is the Lord of Love. He loves his devotees and love is blind.
Vānchārāma Jī brought him home. After due ceremony, he began to serve him as best as he could. But Vinoda Jī, as Vānchārāma called him, was very luxurious. There was no end to his demands. He would sometimes ask for sweets of different kinds, sometimes for new and fancy dresses, and sometimes for scent and other luxurious things. When Vānchārāma could not fulfil his demand, he either urged someone else or he himself brought the things he wanted somehow from somewhere, even though he had to steal or plunder.
Once Vinoda Jī wanted to eat vegetable prepared from mustard flowers. After sunset he went to the field of a farmer and began to pick mustard flowers. The farmer heard the sound of someone sacking the field. He shouted, “Who is there?” Vinoda Jī quickly tied the flowers in a corner of his pītāmbara and ran away. At night he said to Vānchārāma in a dream. “Since long I have not eaten vegetable prepared from mustard flowers. You offer it to me today.” Vānchārāma did not know where he could get mustard flowers, because there was no field within a couple of miles from his place, in which mustard was growing. He was filled with some anxiety. When he went to Vinoda Ji’s temple for morning service, he was surprised to see some mustard flowers adorning both of his ears and some tied to a corner of his pītāmbara. He understood that Vinoda Jī had himself brought the flowers from somewhere so that he might not have to take the trouble of going out in search of them. He prepared vegetable from the flowers and offered it to him.
 |
| Hukka of Vinoda Ji |
Once Vinoda Jī asked a wealthy devotee in a dream to offer him a hukkā. The devotee offered him a hukkā with long pipe and a silver moth-piece. Vinoda Jī smoked every morning and evening after Rajā-bhoga (offering of principal meals). Some fortunate devotees could at times also hear the hubble-bubble of the hukkā.
Vānchārāma was very hospitable. Whosoever came to his village for him his doors were always open. If he chose to stay for some time, he was well served. One night, when he and his wife were sleeping, three guests knocked at his door. Vinoda Jī did not want that his sleep should be disturbed. He went to the door in the form his son and received the guests. He told them, “Pitā Jī (my father) is asleep. I can awaken him, if you so desire, otherwise you may cook for yourselves. I shall arrange for the provisions and everything else.”
“No, you don’t disturb his sleep. We shall cook for ourselves,” replied the guests. Vinoda Jī went to the shop from where Vānchārāma used to purchase provisions and said to the shop-keeper, “Vānchārāma Jī has sent me to get some provisions from you on loan. Please give.”
“How can give the provisions to a person like you, who is not known to me? I never saw or heard about you before,” replied the shop-keeper.
Then Vinoda Jī took out the gold-bangle he was wearing and said, “You keep this with you as surety and return it to Vānchārāma Jī after he has cleared the account.”
The shop-keeper agreed. Vinoda Jī went back home with the provisions and made all other arrangements for cooking. The guests cooked and ate and then went to sleep.
Next morning, when Vānchārāma saw the guests, he asked, “When did you come? Who opened the door?”
“You were asleep, when we came. Your son opened the door and made all arrangements for our dinner. We did not like to disturb you.”
Vānchārāma stood stunned for a while. “Could this be the līlā of Vinoda Jī?” He began to think. At noon, when the shop-keeper came with the bangle, the mystery was solved.
For long Vinoda Jī was without a consort. His loneliness began to weigh heavy upon him. Sportive as he was, he began to think of marriage. He decided to marry Rājā Banavāri Lāla’s 10 or 11 years old daughter, whose name was Rādhā. He directed one of his devotees to Rājā Banavāri Lāla and speak about him in such a way that he is obliged to come for His darçana.
The devotees went and said to the Rājā, “In village Navagrāma of your own estate your own employee Vānchārāma has found a mūrtī of Sri Krishna. The deity is very much alive and sportive. Every day He surprises everybody by performing a new līlā. Hundreds of people go to Him for darçana. Will you not go?”
How did Vānchārāma find the deity? What līlās does he perform?” asked Rājā Banavāri Lāla out of curiosity. The devotees told him everything. He felt very much attracted. One day he went for the darsana of Vinoda Jī along with his wife and daughter Rādhā.
As they were looking at Vinoda Jī, Rādhā felt very much excited. She clasped her mother and said, “Look Mā, how Thākura is smiling at me!”
“Foolish!” said Mā, as she affectionately patted her on her cheek.
“No, Mā! He is really smiling and winking at me!”
But Mā ignored it as her childish fancy.
The sweet smiles of Vinoda Jī so captured the heart of Rādhā that she thought of Him day and night. Several times, on her insistence, Rājā Sahib had to take her to Vinoda Jī with him for his darçana.
Slowly Rājā Sahib also became more and more attracted towards Vinoda Jī. Once, when he had gone to see Him, Rādhā said to her father, “Pitā Jī, let us take Vinoda Jī to our place. I have a strong desire that I should serve Him and decorate Him beautifully.”
Rājā said, “I also feel like taking Vinoda Jī away. But will Vānchārāma let us do so?” He looked at Vānchārāma, as he said this.
Vānchārāma, instead of acquiescing or denying directly, said, “Sir, I am your servant as well as Vinoda Jī’s. How can I say that you should or should not take Him away. The matter lies between you and Vinoda Jī.”
At night Vinoda Jī said to Vānchārāma in a dream, “You let me go with the Rājā.
I am pleased with you, but now I want to accept the service of Rājā. You need not be sorry, for you will soon realize me.”
What could Vānchārāma do? He sent the message to the Rāj ā. The Rāj ā was overwhelmed to know that Vinoda Jī was so kind to him. Immediately he went and conveyed the message to his wife and Rādhā. They began to dance with joy.
Elaborate arrangements were made to bring Vinoda Jī. On an auspicious day he was brought to the palace in a palanquin escorted by elephants and horses and musicians, performing music on different instruments.
Rādhā now served Vinoda Jī with all her heart and soul. There was, no doubt, a pujārī to serve Him, but it was Rādhā., who decided each day what dress He would put on and what He would eat. She also prepared different kinds of ornament from flowers and decorated Him with her own hands. Vinoda Jī was very much pleased with her service. But He often teased her. He would sometimes, after eating, rub his dirty hands with her clothes, sometimes pinch her and sometimes even spit at her.
Rādhā’s love towards Vinoda Jī went on increasing. So did Vinoda’s love pranks. One day when Rādhā was offering Him a garland, He caught hold of her āncala (edge of sari) and said, “You must marry me.” She spoke about this to her mother, but mother did not believe.
After some time Rādhā fell ill. Vinoda Jī said to her mother in a dream, “Rādhā will not survive. But you need not worry. She will die to live with me as my bride. There is a dry devadara tree in your garden. Out of the wood of that tree you make a mūrtī of Rādhā and marry the mūrtī to me.”
Rādhā’s mother was then convinced that Vinoda Jī really wanted to marry Rādhā. She told her husband about the dream. Both of them began to shed tears of sorrow as well as joy to think of this new līlā of Vinoda Jī. They were sorry to know that Rādhā would not survive. But they were happy know that Vinoda Jī would accept Rādhā as His bride and both the daughter and son-in-law would live with them in their house in the form of mūrtīs.
The devadara tree was cut down and the work of making an idol out of it started. As soon as the mūrtī was ready, Rādhā died. Arrangements for her funeral and her marriage in the form of the mūrtī began to be made simultaneously. When the marriage was performed, Vinoda Jī began to be called Rādhā Vinoda. Even today Vinoda and Vinodini (Rādhā) can be seen living happily together in the Tanāsa temple by the side of Rāmakrsna Sevā-āsrama in Vrndāvana. Even today their marriage anniversary is duly celebrated.
 |
| Radha-Vinoda |
A sudden change came in the attitude of Banamāli Rāya, when one day he met Jagadbandhu Prabhu, the great saint of Pābanā, who, on account of the golden lustre of his body and the intensity of his love for Rādhā and Krsna was regarded by some as the very incarnation of Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu. That day Rājā Banamāli Rājabahadura was going through the highway of Pābanā in right royal fashion, mounted on a decorated elephant and escorted by gunmen and other attendants. From the other side was coming Jagadbandhu Prabhu, dancing in the midst of Kīrtana-party, consisting of hundreds of devotees, who were also singing and dancing to the tune of a large number of mrdangās and karatālas.
Banamāli Raī got down from the elephant, walked barefooted up to the Kīrtana- party and joined it. Like one who was hypnotised, he raised both of his hands and started dancing and singing with the party. He continued doing this till the party reached its destination and stopped kīrtana. After kīrtana he bowed down to Jagadbandhu Prabhu, requested him to grace Banavārī Nagara once by his presence, and returned.
On return he felt that a new wave of bhaktī was surging his heart. He felt that travelling on the crest of that wave he had crossed the desert of brāhma-upāsanā (meditating on brahman) and was standing on the threshold of an oasis, rich with the foliage and fountains of bhaktī.
He found entrance to the oasis, when Jagadbandhu Prabhu came to his house, and staying with him for a number of days, gave him instructions in Rāgānugā Bhaktī.. Then he understood that the Lord was not only an object of reverence, worship or prayer as Brāhma-samāja had taught him, but also love orprīti. Prīti was not one-sided. It was not that the devotee alone loved the Lord, the Lord also loved the devotee. In fact, He loved the devotee more than the devotee loved Him, and nothing was more valuable to Him than the loving service of His devotee. Because the devotee in his fallen state had no access to Him, he Himself came down in the form of Śrī Mūrtī to receive his service.
Banamāli Rāy’s mind now turned towards Rādhā Vinoda. He made the best possible arrangements for His service. But he discontinued the service hukkā, because it was not permitted by the śāstras.
During those days, Śrī Krsnasundara Rāya Prabhu, who was siddha mahāma, lived with Banamāli Rāya. He also used to smoke hukkā. Before smoking, he offered the hukkā Rādhā Vinoda. Rāya Prabhu was always lost in līlā-smarana. At the time of smoking also his līlā-smarana was the primary occupation, smoking was secondary, and it went on automatically as a matter of habit, though it slowed down, when the smarana was deep, and he put the pipe into his mouth after long intervals. During the intervals Rādhā Vinoda put the pipe in his mouth and smoked more freely. Thus He was not very much affected, when Banamāli Rāya stooped his hukkā.
 |
| Radha-Vinodadeities, Tanasa Mandira |
On the twelfth day of Krsna-paksa in the year 1892, Rāya Prabhu chose to quit this world. For four days since then Rādhā Vinoda had to practise forced abstinence and go without hukkā. But abstinence is not in His nature. On the amāvasyā day, after the morning service, when thepujārī was doing japa, he sank into drowsiness. In that state Rādhā Vinoda said to him, “Give me my hukkā. Since these people discontinued my hukkā service, I used to go and smoke with Rāya Prabhu. But now that Rāya Prabhu is no more, I have not smoked for four days.”
In the evening, when Banamāli Rāya went to the temple, the pujārī told him everything. Banamāli Rāya made necessary arrangements for the service of hukkā, but the doubt persisted in his mind as to whether Vinoda Jī really smoked.
Once Jagadbandhu Prabhu was staying in Banamāli Rāy’s palace in a room adjacent to the temple of Rādhā Vinoda. After Rājā-bhoga he called Banamāli Rāya and said, “Let us today enjoy the hukkā-smoking līlā of Līlāmaya (the sportive Lord). He took Banamāli Rāya with him and sat in the verandah before the temple. After sometime he said, “See, Vinoda Jī is smoking. Listen to the hubble-bubble of the hukkā." Simultaneously, Jagadbandhu gave Banamāli Rāya the spiritual ears, with which he could hear the sound of the hukkā. As he was listening to the sound, he went into bhāva- samādhi and tears began to trickle down his eyes.
Now Banamāli Rāya's faith in the spiritual nature of Śrī Mūrtī became so firm that if any one said or did anything, which implied that the Śrī Mūrtī was a mere statue, it hurt him. He now became restless to render personal service to Rādhā Vinoda. But he was not qualified for service without proper initiation. So in 1897 he went to Vrndāvana and took initiation from Śrī Radhikā Nātha Gosvāmī Prabhu, a descendant of Advatācarya Prabhu.
 |
| Radhika Natha Goswami |
After some time he went to Vrndāvana and constructed two buildings, one in Vrndāvana and the other in Rādhākunda. These are now known as Tānasa Mandira and Rājābāni. He lived with Rādhā Vinoda sometimes in Vrndāvana and sometimes in Rādhākunda.
Ever since Banamāli Rāya came to Vraja, he was the central figure of vaiçnava community in Vraja. Sādhus and vaiçnavas always graced his house with their presence, because kathā, kīrtana and festivals were always going on there. He utilized all the resources of his estate in the service of the vaisnavas. He built a hospital for free treatment of sādhus, vaisnavas and the Vrajabasis. He started a school for teaching bhaktī-śāstras to the students and arranged for their free board and lodging. He also started a press, in which he printed Śrīmad Bhāgavatam with eight commentaries and other bhakti literature, which he distributed free amongst the sādhus and the vaisnavas.
In his time there were a galaxy of siddha mahātmas in Vraja. He was benefited by the company of each of them. But there were some to whom he was specially attached and who freely showered their blessings upon him. They were Śrī Rādhikānātha Gosvāmī Prabhu, Jagadbandhu Prabhu, Śrī Rādhāramana Carana Dāsa Bābā Jī Mahārāja, Śrī Rāmahari Dāsa Bābā Jī, Śrī Vijayakrsna Gosvāmī, Śrī Gaurakiśora Śiromani, Śrī Rāmahari Dāsa Bābā Jī, Śrī Krsnasundara Rāya Prabhu, Śrī Harisundara Bhaumika Bhuiyañ, Śrī Jagadiśa Dāsa Bābā and Śrī Rāmakrsna Dāsa Pañdita Bābā.
With the blessings of these mahātmas he easily attained the lotus feet and the loving service of Rādhā Vinoda in His eternal dhāma in Vrndāvana.
==============
 |
| Samadhi of Rajarsi |
In The Life of Love (Carit Sudha) some of the interaction of Radharaman Charan Dev with Banamali Roy is described in the following chapters:
TALKS AND REJOICINGS IN RADHAKUNDA
One day Sri Kamini Kumara Ghosh, the manager of Rajrshi Banamali Raibahadur came to Baba Mahashaya and said, “I have come to invite you on behalf of Sriyuta Banamali Babu to his house in Radhakunda on the occasion of Gopashtami , when his Thakura, Vinoda and Vinodini will go into the forest to celebrate Gopashtami. Baba Mahashaya said, “I will be too happy to go and have the darshan of Radhakunda, Shyamakunda, Vinoda-Vinodini and Their devotee Rajarshi Banamali Babu.”
The next day Baba Mahashaya started for Radhakunda with his companions. When Banamali Babu was informed that Baba Mahashaya had reached Manasi Ganga, he went forward with Haricharan Das Babaji, Rasika Das Babaji, Vishnu Das Babaji, Nityananda Das Babaji and a number of other mahatmas to receive them in a garden, half way between Kusumsarovara and Radhakunda. From the garden he brought them to Radhakunda and, after they had made obeisance to Radhakunda and Shyamakunda, to the Temple of Vinoda and Vinodini in his house. Baba Mahashaya kept looking at Their beautiful faces for some time and then started singing songs in Their praise. Tears flowed from his eyes and sattvika-bhavas appeared all over his body. After sometime he controlled his bhava and at the insistence of Banamali Babu sat down to take shital-bhoga with others. Baba Mahashaya first put a morsel of the shital-bhoga into the mouth of Haricharan Das Babaji. Haricharan Das Babaji put a morsel from his pattal (leaf-plate) into the mouth of Baba Mahashaya. In this way Baba Mahashaya fed a morsel to everyone and everyone fed a morsel to him. Everyone was overwhelmed with a feeling of joy mixed with love, he had never experienced before. Baba Mahashaya was by nature ever so joyful and mirthful, so loving and lovable that by his every single act, he seemed to disseminate joy and love and win the hearts of people he met.
Rajarshi Banamali Raibahadur had arranged for the stay of Baba Mahashaya and his companions in the Madanamohana Temple and for their mahaprasad at his own place. So, they went and stayed in Madanamohana Temple. The next morning Baba Mahashaya asked his companions to bathe in the Radhakunda three times every day and also to circumambulate Radhakunda and Shyamakunda and prostrate before the kuti of each mahatma living on the bank of the kunda.’
At about 7:30 a.m. Rajarshi came and said, “Today is Gopashtami. Vinoda-Vinodini will go to the garden between Radhakunda and Kusum-sarovara to celebrate the occasion. I have come to request you kindly to accompany Them.”
Baba Mahashaya was happy to hear this. After sometime he reached Rajarshi’s Rajbari (palace), where Ramahari Das Babaji, Madhava Das Babaji, Haricharan Das Babaji, Rasika Das Babaji and others were waiting for him. As soon as he reached there they stood up and took him and his companions to a room adjoining the Temple of Vinodaji. Since all of them did lila-smarana, they started talking about the lila. They requested Baba Mahashaya to say something about lila. Baba Mahashaya said, “Baba, what can I say about lila? Let me see if by your blessings Yogamaya Devi inspires some lila in my heart.” As he said this he was overwhelmed with bhava and, as if possessed by Yogamaya, began to narrate an amorous lila of Radha-Krishna slowly in a manner, which showed that he actually saw the lila as he described it. Tears flowed from his eyes and sattvika-bhavas appeared all over his body. Everybody heard like one bound by a spell. Everyone lost outward consciousness and seemed to enjoy the lila as he had never enjoyed it before. As the talk was going on someone came and said, “Bhoga has been offered. Mahaprasad is ready.” Rajarshi said, “Baba, we have to go for mahaprasad.” Baba Mahashaya clapped happily and said, “I am ready, I love mahaprasad as I do not love anything else. It is on account of my love and lobha for mahaprasad that I live in Puri and call Jagannath Dev ‘Baba.’ It is the same lobha that has brought me here. Let us go. I go ahead.” Ramahari Das Babaji said, “Baba, I am your uncle. My lobha is greater. I must go ahead of you.”
RAJARSHI BANAMALI ROY’S VISIT TO PURI
One day Baba Mahashaya received a letter from Shyama Das Babaji. The purport of the letter was as follows:
“Vrindavan is at present suffering from the scourge of plague. Many Vrajavasis are running away from Vrindavan and Govardhana and coming to Kusum-sarovara, which is so far free from the epidemic. Banamali Babu has shifted to Calcutta with Vinoda-Vinodini and his family. Sripada Radhakanat Goswami, Haricharan Das Babaj i, Nityananda Das Babaji, Rasika Das Babaji etc., have all gone with him. Kindly let me know what I should do.”
Baba Mahashaya could not remain calm, when he came to know about the suffering of the Vrajavasis. He burst into tears. After some time he wrote to Shyama Das Baba as follows:
“Jai Nitai-Gaura!
Brother Shyama Das, I received your letter. The plague should be taken as Radharani’s device for testing the faith of the people in Vraja. She wants to know whether they are attached more to Vraja or to their body. Whatever happens you should not leave Vraja. You only do trisandhya-kirtan with the Vrajavasis and rest assured that plague will not touch you. If possible try to come to Puri before RathaYatra.”
A few days before Ratha-Yatra Shyama Das, Pandit Haricharan Das and Nityananda Das came to Puri and stayed with Baba Mahashaya in the Math. Soon after a letter was received from Banamali Roy Bahadur saying that he would reach Puri with Vinoda-Vinodini and his family before RathaYatra. This was followed by a telegram from Kamini Babu to Pandit Haricharan Das asking him to arrange for a suitable accommodation for Rajarshi at Puri. Haricharan Das started his search for a suitable accommodation, but could not find any. In utter helplessness he requested Baba Mahashaya to help. Baba Mahashaya said, “You need not worry. So many Raja-Maharajas come to Puri. They are all accommodated somehow somewhere. Jagannath does not turn anyone away. Let Rajarshi come. We shall see what can be done. It is also possible that he may stay in the Math and may not like to go anywhere else.”
Another telegram came next morning saying that Rajarshi Banamali Babu was reaching Puri next morning. Pandit Haricharan Baba went to Baba Mahashaya in a flurry and said, “Look here! Rajarshi is coming tomorrow morning and you have not done anything to accommodate him.”
Baba Mahashaya said, “Why are you so much worried? It is not so easy for big men like him to move out. It is likely that you get another telegram saying that Rajarshi has stomachache, which prevents him from starting today.”
Panditji: That is not possible, because they have purchased tickets.
Babaji: There is nothing that is not possible.
At five o’clock in the evening Panditj i received another telegram. He read it and was stunned. He remained standing still for some time. Then he rushed to Baba Mahashaya and fell at his feet. He said, “Baba! Forgive me for blaming you for your indifference with regard to Banamali Babu’s visit.”
Babaji: Why? What has happened? Whose telegram is that?
Panditji: Kamini Babu’s.
Babaji: Read.
Panditji: You know it already.
Babaji: Shyama Das, you read.
Shyama Das began to read: “All of a sudden Rajarshi has developed severe stomachache. So we are not leaving today.”
This was followed by another telegram saying, “We have started today.” They arrived next morning. As soon as they reached Jhanjapita Math and went to Baba Mahashaya’s room, Rajarshi and his wife said, after making obeisance to him, “Baba, we shall stay in this room and not go anywhere else.”
Lalita Sakhi Dasi: This room is too small and not properly ventilated. How will you live in it?
Banamali: I have not come here for Jagannath darshan or any other purpose. My purpose is to enjoy the company of Baba Mahashaya to my heart’s content.
Then no one could say anything. Baba Mahashaya asked Lalita Dasi to vacate the room for them and shift his own things elsewhere.
Banamali Babu suffered from dyspepsia. He could hardly digest even old rice bound in a piece of cloth and boiled in half litre of water. Therefore someone asked Baba Mahashaya in his presence about arrangement to be made regarding his food. Baba Mahashaya replied, “No special arrangement. Since he is now an Ashram-vasi he will eat whatever is prepared in the Ashram with the other Ashramites after all other Vaishnavas have been fed.” Then he said to Banamali Babu, “Look, as long as you live in the Ashram, you will not spend a single paisa of your own.”
Banamali Babu said, “Baba, I shall abide by your wish, for am I not your own?”
Since Ratha-Yatra was near, a large number of people had come from outside and were staying in the Math. Everyday food had to be cooked for about two hundred and fifty people. Cooking took a lot of time and by the time the Vaishnavas had eaten it used to be 3 p.m. At that time Baba Mahashaya sat down to eat with Banamali Babu and the Babaj is. It is surprising that though Banamali Babu was accustomed neither to the time of the meal nor the variety of things he had to eat, he digested everything well and his health was sound as long as he stayed in the Ashram.
Ratha-Yatra arrived and the usual ceremonies began. Baba Mahashaya’s kirtans in front of the ratha were, as usual, the greatest attraction of the occasion. This time the participation of Rajarshi Banamali Roy and his Babaji companions in the kirtans added an additional charm to it. For them, however, the company of Baba Mahashaya was more important than anything else. They spent all their time with him either in kirtan or in conversation, in which his repartees were not only enjoyable but enlightening and inspiring. During the conversation they got an opportunity to ask him questions regarding some of the most knotty problems, which defied their understanding, and invariably got a satisfactory answer.
No comments:
Post a Comment