"वासुदेव आला ! हो वासुदेव आला !!" -Vasudev Is Here O! Vasudev Is Here !
This blog post is going to be more than just my scribbled thoughts. Today, 25th February, 2021, I woke up "blessed" at 04:15 am.
Before I scribbled down the details, I need to set some context about Vasudev - A community of Shri Krishna worshippers found mainly in Maharashtra. They roam around temples, villages and cities singing songs of Shri Krishna. They wear a distinctive hat made of peacock feathers and dhoti, the traditional men’s wear. While they visit door to door singing devotional songs of Shri Krishna, they don't expect money from the people but raw grocery and then they cook for themselves.
Image Courtesy : Siddhartha Joshi's Blog
I have seen such Vasudev's roaming around at my home town, Ambarnath, when I was a kid. They used to sing loudly while passing through lanes of our small town. I had very limited knowledge about this community back then and I hardly understood their purpose of roaming around in this attire.
Present Day
This has been the most emotional experience for me so far since the time I engrossed myself in devotion of Shri Krishna. Using engrossed as verb here could be exaggerated way of describing my devotion at this point of time but as compared to my past 30 years of life, I'll prefer to stick to this verb for now.
For anyone who will be reading this further paragraph, it could be just a dream I had but for me that's very much reality !
I was sitting on a couch in our living room. It was either early morning or late evening but it was dark outside and raining. I suddenly heard a loud voice "वासुदेव आला हो वासुदेव आला " - Vasudev Is Here O! Vasudev Is Here ! I rushed to the window immediately to see who is there! At that dark hour, while it was raining, all I could see was a peacock hat shining in the street light. He was standing on the street looking at me. Our apartment is on 1st floor, so he raised his head slightly to look at me. His face with dark complexion was shining bright. His eyes were bit yellowish, like colour of a milk when you put saffron in it. With a single glance at Him, I realised that he must be hungry and I should offer Him something to eat immediately. I rushed to the kitchen. I asked my mother to serve Dal - Rice in a plate. She must have thought I'm asking it for myself so she served it in a plate for me. I realised that I must have forgotten to mention it's not for me. Then I myself served dal, rice, roti in a paper plate and covered it with another one. Very next moment, I was downstairs standing in front of Vasudeva. He was waiting in a shed. I handed over that plate to him and bowed down to touch his feet. He kept his hand on my head to bless me and even before I could stand straight, he disappeared !!! Like literally vanished in thin air !
I woke up, looked at the clock. It was 04:15 am. I was in a shock ! I was not able to cope up with reality! I got up and went to our living room. I looked at paining of Shri Krishna and Arjuna.
I bowed down on my knees. I was extremely overwhelmed and tears started rolling down my eyes. I started praying - "I don't know if you were in the form of Balaji or Vithhala (because of dark complexion I noticed) but I know you were my Shri Krishna !". With every moment passing by, I was so overwhelmed that I literally started weeping like a kid. I got up and went back to bedroom to wake up Aakanksha. She looked at me cluelessly and tried to figure out what is happening to me while she was half asleep. I held her hand and sat down. I was trying to talk but I was still so overwhelmed that I was not able to utter a single word. After few moments, I narrated her whole experience while I was still weeping.
It took few more minutes for me to get back to gather myself and start my routine. As part of my routine, I continued reading today Srimad Bhagavatam, 5th canto about 8th incarnation of Shri Krishna - Rishbhdeva and his teachings.
The only message I would like to pass on, like I have been doing through most of my blogs related to spirituality, surrender yourself to Him and you will get your own experiences.
Shri Krishna says in Bhagvad Gita Chapter 18, Verse 66
सर्वधर्मान्परित्यज्य मामेकं शरणं व्रज । अहं त्वां सर्वपापेभ्यो मोक्षयिष्यामि मा शुच: ॥ ६६ ॥
sarva-dharmān parityajya mām ekaṁ śaraṇaṁ vraja ahaṁ tvāṁ sarva-pāpebhyo mokṣayiṣyāmi mā śucaḥ
Translation :
Abandon all varieties of religion and just surrender unto Me. I shall deliver you from all sinful reactions. Do not fear.
Love it! Stay blessed. Always!