127. If One lays The Life At God’s Feet: part two

I came across five examples of acts similar to the one narrated in the previous blog, I.e., willing to die unless one hears from God or His representatives. Three of them have been previously described. However, they will be very briefly narrated again.

1. Yogananda’s need to hear from God prior to his going to America. (Blog 79). When he was ordered to go to America, Sri Yogananda got worried that he will be lost in the materialism of the West. He started meditating, with the vow that he will continue praying till death, unless he hears from God. After several hours of his lamentation, Babaji (the founder of his sect and reputed to be several hundred years old) came to him, and assured him that his mission had Divine sanction.

2. Sri Ramakrishna was in utter despair (blog 20). Life was not worth living. He was sitting in the temple. His eyes fell on the sword hanging on the wall. He thought of ending his life. Like a mad man he grasped the sword and ran outside to end his life.  The blessed Mother chose to reveal Herself at that moment. He fell down unconscious, and was engulfed in a sea of light.

3. Giri Bala. (Blog 80). This holy woman was overweight when she was a girl. Her mother-in-law constantly criticized her habit of overeating. One day stung by her mother-in-law’s remarks, she vowed not to eat anything at all! She prayed to God for help. Help came in the form of her Guru, who taught her some secret mantras, by which she could live without eating and drinking!

4. Robert Bogucki, a 33 year old man from Alaska went into Australian desert to find some spiritual answers. In his own words, “I just wanted to spend a while on my own, just nobody else around, just make peace with God”. He was rescued after 43 days. He drank muddy water, and ate flowers and wild plants. He was without food for about 6 weeks and without water for about 12 days. Western Australia’s Great Sandy Desert is one of the harshest places in the world. God did not let him die, because he had gone there for the sake of God

5. Brunton met the leader of a spiritual movement called Radha Soamis that had originated in 19^th century (the fraternity exists to this day) India. His name was Sahibji Maharaj. The leader thought that to travel on spiritual path, a master was absolutely essential. He told Brunton the story of his own search for the master.

“I was desperate to find a master. I asked the trees, the grass, and the sky to enlighten me if truth existed. I sobbed my heart out like a child.

One day I resolved to give up eating and starve to death, unless and until the divine power saw fit to grant me some illumination.

The next night I had a vivid dream, wherein a master appeared to me and revealed himself as such.

I asked his address. His answer was ‘Allahabad ’

I told the dream to a friend, who brought a group photograph, and asked me if I could recognize the master of my dream. I at once recognized him.”

God did not let him starve to death!