In my early youth I used to visit shivalya in Srinagar located near karan Nagar. Actually there was a temple of Shiva and branch of Ramakrishna Ashram located adjacent to temple. My purpose of visit was neither in pursuit of spirituality nor in connection with gaining any divine enlightenment. I used to sit for hours in the reading room of Ashram to read latest books and magazines, which were rarely available those days. I visited the Ashram inordinately and without fail, because I was so much interested in reading.
I became familiar with many workers of the Ashram who appeared more important and indispensable but least of all with a person who deemed to be of ordinary disposition. His ordinary attire and simplicity attracted my attention towards him after a long time. He could be seen wearing a common man's dress , a pant and a shirt and doing ordinary chores of Ashram like changing the lamps repairing the electric fuses arranging the magazines and books. Mostly I noticed him working in the lawns of Ashram raising flower beds and watering them most earnestly . He spoke very less and that too with all humility. But there was a sort of radiance present on his face which perhaps reflected his dedication towards service with a spectacle of divinity. Latter on I was astonished to learn that he was working as professor of physics in local college and belonged to a well to do family dealing in Medicine business. His name was Brij Nath ji. After college hours he would spent most of his precious time at the Ashram. He was not interested in family business and was not married either.
Once they planned to renovate Ashram and raised funds for the purpose. The construction work started at large scale and a new and spacious meditation hall was built with modern fixtures. Renovation work of old structures was also initiated. When the construction was at final stages there was shortage of funds and the work could not be carried out further. Brij Nath ji applied for withdrawal of his Provident fund account. An amount of two lakhs, which was a huge amount those days, was released from the Personal Provident fund of Sh. Brij Nath ji and construction could be completed.
Only after few years of construction of new Ashram, militancy started in Kashmir. Unfortunately there was mass migration of Hindu community of Kashmir to Jammu and other parts of India. Most devotees of Ashram also left for Jammu. But only Brij Nath ji and few other inmates of Ashram preferred to stay at Srinagar and that too in the premises of Ashram.
One fine morning, when the militancy was at its peak in Kashmir valley, few militants brandishing automatic Guns entered the premises of Ashram. They knocked the door of meditation hall where Brij Nath ji along with other inmates was meditating. A cold shrill passed through the spine of all inmates , except Brij Nath ji, on witnessing the militants holding automatic Guns entering the meditation Hall. Brij Nath ji encountered them boldly.
One among the militants addressed to Brij Nath ji.
Be prepared, we have come to kill you.
Yes you can kill us, only if my Thakur desires so otherwise not, replied Brij Nath Ji most confidently pointing towards the marble statue of Shri Ramkrishna installed in the hall.
On hearing the reply of Brij Nath ji. all the militants lowered their guns with a feeling of uneasy ness. Then they asked for Tea, which was most promptly served to them by the other inmates of Ashram. Afterwards they left the Ashram with a note of regret writ large on their faces and with a promise not interfere in the working of Ashram anymore.
Brij Nath ji still lives in the Ashram with all humility and devotion to his Master. This story reminds me 13 and 14 shalokha of 12 chapter of Baghwat Gita, where lord Krishna says
..One who is not envious but is a kind friend to all living entities, who does not think himself a proprietor and is free from false ego, who is equal in both happiness and distress, who is tolerant, always satisfied, self controlled and engaged in devotional service with determination, his mind and intelligence fixed on me......Such a devotee of mine is very dear to me.
No comments:
Post a Comment