Sincere Yearning and Sure Grace
There was once a Sultan, ruling over the region of Mathura, Brindavan and other
places, situated on the banks of River Yamuna. During his reign, the emperor of
Vijayanagara (a kingdom in the South of India), came on pilgrimage and stayed
at Brindavan for a few days to pay homage to Lord Krishna in the temple there.
The Sultan understood that the Emperor had come only to pay respects to that
One in the shrine at Brindavan, and he decided to himself, come what may, he
would too have that spiritual experience.
So late one night he went and called out before the closed doors of the temple,
“Who is inside?” He heard a voice, which gave the reply. “Govind Maharaj and
Radha Rani (The Lord Krishna, the King, and Radha, the Queen)!” The Sultan was
now sure that there were two persons living inside, a Super-Emperor and His
Super-Empress. He was filled with an agonizing yearning to see the
distinguished occupants of the temple. He waited outside the door, without food
or drink for three full days. He was overcome with hunger and thirst; but he
did not stir, for he was afraid the Imperial Couple may emerge any moment and
he might miss the Darshan.
That night, when the town was asleep, just before midnight Govind Maharaj and
Radha Rani emerged from the shrine. They signed to him to follow him. They were
magnificently dressed and had elaborately bejeweled headgear, necklaces,
wristlets and ornaments for the hands and feet. They moved on until they
reached the banks of the Yamuna, where thousands of Gopas and Gopis (cowherd
devotees) were gathered to welcome them. There was music and dance in the
bright moonlight, heavenly joy shone on every face. At 4 a.m. they returned to
the temple and before they passed through the closed door, they gave into the
hands of the Sultan the kankanas they wore on their wrists, for safekeeping.
Before he could say anything, they had gone.
A party of priests came along at that time, in the morning hour, and seeing the
Sultan there, asked him as to why he was standing there and what he had in his
hands. They had come to open the locks of the inner doors and inaugurate the
ceremonials of the day, with Suprabhatham and Nagarasamkirtan (morning prayers
and chantings).
The Sultan said, “Govind Maharaj and Radha Rani have just gone in; I was with
them at the Yamuna Bank from midnight till a few minutes ago. They gave me
these kankanas for safekeeping. I don’t know why.”
They surmised he was a thief who, caught in the act, was spinning a yarn and so
bound him to punish him. But they found the locks unbroken, everything intact.
Only the idol of Lord Krishna had no gold kankanas! Now they were convinced
that the man outside was a great Bhakta (devotee), who had the unique vision of
the Lord. They honored him and craved pardon for the wrong perpetrated in
ignorance. Such is the reward for sincere yearning; unlimited ananda (bliss)
can be earned through implicit faith in God.
