== STORY: BABA HAS GONE IN YOUR HEART==
Namaskar,
As every A'nanda Ma'rgii knows, when Baba was living in Madhu Malainca,
i.e. the Baba's Quarter (BQ) residence in Lake Gardens, Kolkata, then He
would occasionally go to the Tiljala compound and remain there for a day, 3
days, or however long He wished. This was part of Baba's regular program
those days.
Furthermore, at each and every BQ, one Dada is posted as the caretaker and
he attends to the various duties regarding the maintenance and upkeep of
the BQ.
Once, what happened, one time in the late 1980's, Baba went to Tiljala and
after a few days He came back. And according to the system or protocol,
many margiis, including the caretaker Dada, received Baba by singing
Prabhat Samgiita when He returned back to Madhu Malainca (Lake Gardens).
When coming out from His car, after receiving a mala from the caretaker, in
a very gracious and jolly mood, Baba smiled and softly asked, "While I was
away, when anyone asked you, 'Where has Baba gone', what did you tell them?".
"Baba, I told them that, 'Baba has gone to Tiljala'", the caretaker replied.
"And when I go to Ananda Nagar then what do you say when anyone asks you,
'Where has Baba gone'", Baba asked.
"Then I tell them that, 'Baba has gone to Ananda Nagar'", the caretaker
responded.
Hearing this Baba started smiling and asked another question.
"What if I go somewhere and I do not tell you where I have gone, in that
situation what will you say to people when they ask you, 'Where has Baba
gone?'".
Then the caretaker kept quiet. He was now in a fix as he had no idea how to
respond to Baba's query. Rather he was thinking that he would reply, 'I do
not know'.
Seeing this, Baba Himself gave the answer, "If I go somewhere and I do not
tell you where I have gone, in that situation when anyone asks you, 'Where
has Baba gone?, in that case you should tell them that, 'Baba has gone in
your heart'".
Baba then inquired, "Do you understand?".
"Yes Baba", the caretaker said.
ABOUT THE STORY
Although it is a very simple story, but at the same time it is very
mysterious also. This story is quite popular, but some understand and some
not-- still today even. That is why it is mysterious.
On the one hand, some take it lightly and think that Baba was just making a
joke and there is nothing more to the story than that.
Whereas some bhaktas think that Guru's every word has a very deep meaning.
And especially since this above story happened in the late 80's, they
understood that through this story Baba was giving a hint about the
forthcoming situation. Afterwards some understood in this way. But at the
time nobody could fathom what was to come.
Here the point is that later on some people understood that Baba's
comment-- "If I go somewhere and I do not tell you where I have gone, in
that situation when anyone asks you, 'Where has Baba gone?, in that case
you should tell them that, 'Baba has gone in your heart'"-- was related
with the fact that on 21 October 1990 Baba did not tell where He was going.
The meaning is then that since Baba did not tell where He was going on that
very occasion of 21 Oct 1990, then margiis understood that the answer to
the question, 'Where has Baba gone', is that Baba has gone in your heart.
ABOUT MAHASAMBHUTI
When Baba as the Mahasambhuti was in physical form, then He was living both
inside the heart of His devotees as well as in external physical world. He
was residing in both of the places. .
And when He withdrew His physical manifestation, then still He continues to
remain in the heart-- to this very day. That is the way to look at the
situation. So all along He was in the heart of His devotees and still He
remains there, only now He no longer is in external form.
CONCLUSION
Once again, the mystery is that Baba was giving the hint that He is not
going anywhere other than, "residing in your heart". But those not
understanding took it very lightly and thought that it is a joke.
Unfortunately, by this way they drowned themselves in the dungeon of dogma.
And they forcibly closed their own eyes to this very simple and divine
teaching: That Baba always remains in the heart.
It is rightly said that to understand Guru's word is not easy. It can only
happen with His grace alone. Baba your liila is unfathomable.
BABA'S BLESSING
By His grace, in Prabhat Samgiita #4425, Baba has given the line,
"Vrnda'vanam parityajya pa'damekam na gaccha'mi..."
"I am always eternally present in Vrindavan, in the hearts of devotees.
That is Guru cakra. I do not go even a little away from that. I am
eternally present along with my devotees in their heart."
Namaskar,
Ramanuj
Note 1: This above story was told by Dada Keshavananda, a longtime PA
(Personal Attendant) to Baba.
Note 2: WHAT SOME DID
By all of the above, we can easily understand that Baba was foreshadowing
what we should say and think when He is no longer physically present on
this earth.
That time Baba was graciously infusing the idea that when we do not know
where He has gone then we should think that Baba has gone our heart. That
is Baba's meaningful guideline. And indeed it applies perfectly to His
physical disappearance from this earth.
Unfortunately, some could not understand Baba's above teaching-- even
today. In that way, each year on 21 October 1990 they organise their
dogmatic program of Mahaprayan-- 'the so-called great departure', which
means that Baba is gone forever.
But from Baba's above story, we can understand that there is no such thing
as Mahaprayan. Rather, October 1990 signifies the time when Baba remains
exclusively in the hearts of His devotees.
However, various self-serving groupists are determined to make their
so-called Mahaprayan festival as one great gathering in hopes of bringing
huge money into their pocket. Basically, their intention is to turn Kolkata
into one dogmatic tiirtha on the basis of "Mahaprayan". This has been their
self-serving plan.
But little by little that plan is eroding more and more.
Because Ananda Margiis-- the devotees of Baba-- are not at all attracted to
the Mahaprayan program as it unceremoniously declares that 'Baba is gone--
forever'. And no devotee likes to think in this way. Nor is it true.
By Baba's grace, in the above story, He has given the perfect response:
"If I go somewhere and I do not tell you where I have gone, in that
situation when anyone asks you, 'Where has Baba gone?, in that case you
should tell them that, 'Baba has gone in your heart'".
That is His divine guideline and that is what we should follow and realise
in this life.
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