Coming together of faith and love gives rise to Devotion. Devotion expands in the presence of deep faith and that pinnacle of faith is surrender and deep devotion. It dates back to 1948, in a family of more than eighty people, the youngest member of the family; two-year-old Gopal had a painful boil in his neck. Gopal was in great pain and at that time there were not many medical treatment facilities available. Generally, people would resort to home treatments, herbal remedies, and believed in faith healing. In those days, there were several ashrams of Saints and Sages and people had deep faith in them. My father took Gopal to visit a babaji. Babaji took some ash from the sacred fireplace, applied it on Gopal, and said he will be fine. With reverence, my father offered a five-rupee note and placed it by the sacred fireplace, and returned back home with Gopal. That very night the boil in Gopal’s neck broke open relieving Gopal from pain. A couple days later Neem Karoli Maharaj unexpectedly reached home. His arrival and departure was always much unexpected. That night after dinner, Maharaj asked my father, “Did you take Gopal to see babaji?” “Yes Maharaj I did” my father replied. Maharaj then said “And you also offered five rupees at the sacred fireplace? You don’t have to go anywhere; I AM THERE (to take care)”. I AM THERE, this assurance from Maharaj was not just for my father alone but also for all his devotees then, and is even present to date.
It happened; Devotee and God were walking together. Suddenly the devotee stopped. When God asked, “will you not continue walking?’ the devotee said, “no, not even a step more with you for you have betrayed me.” God said, “I betrayed you? How can you say so?’ The devotee said, “Look there at the footpath, the story of your deceit is clearly printed there. There where the path was easy you were with me as our footprints match on that path, but when the path became difficult you left me as in that path I only see my footprints and not yours.” God said, “Go closer and see”. The devotee then went close and could not make any more mistake in recognizing the footsteps. He was speechless for the footprints he was seeing were not his, but they were God’s footprints. Astonished, he looked at the God. God said “when your path was easy I was walking along with you but when it became difficult I was walking, carrying you in my arms.” The devotee was in tears.
Actually, love is the path of devotion, and while in love, to suspect love, to get angry and then make up, it simply happens. Rukmini was serving food to Lord Krishna, just as he was taking the first morsel of food, to her amazement, Krishna immediately got up and ran to the door. With one leg out the door and the other still inside Krishna held back his step and then returned to the table and asked Rukmini to serve food. Rukmini surprised by this behavior of Krishna asked “Lord you never acted like this before, what happened?” Krishna responded, “Rukmini I had to go”. Rukmini said “but you didn’t actually go out the door, you came right back?” Krishna said, “Yes I had to come back.” Rukmini said, “Now stop puzzling me and tell me why”. Krishna said “it was just that, a devotee lost in my devotion was walking down the street, people were troubling him and teasing him, and then they started throwing stones at him, I had to go to protect him.” Rukmini said “but you did not go.” Krishna said, “Yes, just as I reached the door my devotee had already picked up a stone, I did not see the need to be there anymore as he had already decided to fight back.”
Actually, god’s grace is always upon his devotee, the test then, is of the devotee’s patience. If one keeps faith, grace falls upon for sure.