Ecstasy of the Universe

Krishna dwelling in every heart

OM longed to move to the Krishna mandir but was bedridden for almost a week (Not that three to four days seem weeks for OM; missing his beloved Lord). Wrapped in a shawl he stood near the gate shivering; his arm and leg hair stood erect as if alert armies ready to battle enemies. His teeth chattered and now the shawl too wasn't enough to tolerate the cold weather. "Hari!" he exclaimed. He looked at his feet which went numb when a thought emerged speaking of the possibilities of him not going to the temple even today.

His head moves and his eyes arch in rage. "No" he screams to his inner-self for even thinking about not visiting Narayana. Slowly after a little more of thinking, he looks at the ground with his hands pressed against the shawl. "It doesn't bother anymore" thought he and removed the shawl; throwing it on the bench.

With his head upraised and feet pressing the ground he runs using all of his energy screaming his beloved's name. Where was the cold weather now? Where was the need of the shawl now? OM didn't bother. "Nothing more than my Krishna" says he to himself and runs. Small steps turn into larger sprints and his breath too turns heavy. The sun slowly rises bringing warmth.

***

He stops looking at the huge architecture. How normal he might seem, his inner-self was already dancing and screaming with joy. "Krishna! Krishna!". Breathing heavily near the temple steps now he only waits to prepare himself and move on to the temple. Smiling he encounters whatever happened a minute ago. "Nothing important than Narayana. What is there in the cold weather? Nothing bothers more than 'No Narayana's Darshan'!" saying that much he moves inside the temple.

The fresh air of the temple made OM become more jaunty as ever. He was happy to be in the temple after such a long time. He remembered how he would weep secretly over the disease which did not let him move out of the house. And now here he was. In front of his deity! His hands near his chest and Narayana's charming attire. OM's eyes sung a teary mellow.

***

The sun seemed quite sprightly today. OM sat at one empty corner of the temple doing what he does; dissolved in his deity's eyes. And the endless aartis and kirtans which accompanied him. "Govinda!" he exclaims. He sits with his legs folded and head now turned to the right, quite lost in the thoughts of Shree Krishna. All of the priests of the temple looked at him now. "He is a true devotee of Shree Krishna" says one and the other who accompanies him relates him with Shrimati Radharani, "Look at this little boy. Look at his lips which are constantly uttering 'Narayana'. Look at how he sits with his head turned and legs folded. The saree he wears and the thin cloth spread on the floor. Look at his long plaited hair. Look at his eyes which are always looking at the sky. O! Krishna! I look upto you now. Take me far away!" With raised eyebrows and wide opened eyes, the latter looks at the speaker who was getting dissolved in OM and understanding his feelings very well; in fact, so well that he also started uttering words that OM was speaking. He was the servant of the servant of the Lord.

Prabhu has now entered the temple and he gives first priority to other devotees and then continues with his darshan. The two priests now look at Prabhu who walks as if carrying a large aura of purity. "Here comes Prabhu" says one of them and the latter continues to look in admiration. Prabhu's eyes were closed and two of them satisfactorily look at him and admire his features. Both of them develop love for him strangely and now want to serve him.

Prabhu moves to the corner where OM sat and looks at him. Now he too relates OM to Radharani; his eyes and his elegance! OM, indeed, was attracting people towards him. Prabhu looked at OM smiling to himself. OM who just recovered from his thoughts jumped at learning Prabhu had come. "You are seeming strangely mystical today, OM" says he.
"Yes" OM laughs to himself, "Krishna finally gave darshan!! Catching his glimpse after such a long time! Aah!!"
Prabhu shrugged. He actually enjoyed listening to OM's dreams because the way he spoke itself gave him the pleasure of having Narayana in one's dream. Thus, he smiled whenever OM narrated his dreams and sometimes hysterically laughed.

After a few minutes Prabhu walked away but OM still sat there. In the silence OM thought about the dreams he had ever had. Following few memories of him and Govinda....

***

The sprightly sun of the morning refused to lose such a nature and painted the city of Varanasi bright golden with such heat. OM sat inside the cool hut looking at his deity. Whenever OM looked at Krishna, his eyes refused to leave his vision. As if even a day full wasn't enough. Why, O! Dear eyes, that I close my eyes or open you only want Govinda?

Prabhu comes in and sits resting on the mat. He smiles at OM even when suffering a sweaty body and a heavy breath. OM fastens his hands towards Prabhu, offering him a glass of cold water. Prabhu feels graceful to have him and accepts his offerings. "What for are you smiling now, OM?" asks he laughing.
OM too has a hearty laugh. "Prabhuji, I was only remembering how things have changed after Shree Krishna gave me darshan. The Krishna love in me is increasing. Though I sometimes think of why me, who never bothered about the subject of God, had Krishna's darshan?"
At this Prabhu sits straight and faces towards him. "There was a Krishna idol at your house already or did you bring the deity home?"
"We brought him home and then the dream follows...." said OM still smiling even when he didn't want to.
"It is Krishna Consciousness, OM" said Prabhu, "It is the most important subject in Vaishnava tradition".
OM looks at Prabhu in doubt. His eyes were a clear expression of his thoughts "tell me more".
"The Vishnu murthi is a plenary representation of Vishnu or Paramatma (the four-handed Vishnu) dwelling in every heart. OM, the dream that came shows Krishna in your house. That itself symbolizes Krishna in your heart. And your consciousness about it. We all are a part of Vishnu, the bright light. And that makes it obvious that Krishna dwells in each heart. Therefore, a person should always act in Krishna Consciousness to achieve the highest state of perfection. This is called Karma Yoga."
"What is acting in Krishna Consciousness?" OM asked.
"First of all, see that Krishna is present in every heart and every soul is searching for Krishna only. Material detachment should be practised. You can wear a soft cloth, limit yourself in eating only Krishna-prasadam and make mother earth your bed. A Krishna Conscious person will not complain about it. For he knows that the sleep is same - there it be a soft cushiony bed or plain cold mud. By limiting yourself to Krishna-prasadam, you can quickly achieve the highest perfection. This is the essence."

OM looked at Prabhu now hysterically laughing. Now he realised what Prabhu's words meant when OM used to be that silent boy confiding himself to a certain space. "Without detachment you cannot even dream of Krishna Consciousness" said OM to himself and now he realised that Prabhu had already put him in practise. Looking down he touches his heart and utters "Krishna!".....