Shri Bodhendra Swamigal’s Journey
Once, Shri Bodhendra Swamigal was traveling from village to village, blessing the people with spiritual gains by initiating them into the continuous chanting of the Lord’s name, “Shri Rama, Rama, Rama.” His eyes were drenched with tears of spiritual joy, and he was in a state of ecstasy, with hairs standing on end.
The Brahmana’s Invitation
Seeing Shri Bodhendra Swamigal in this state, a brahmana paid his respects to him and humbly invited him to have a meal at his house. Shri Nama Bodhendra accepted the request of the large-hearted brahmana and went to his house. The blessed brahmana bathed the feet of the swamigal and offered him worship, with tears of joy drenching his face. He then fed Bodhendra Swamigal with all earnestness and respect, while sitting near him reciting the Upanishads.
The Dumb Boy
In the meantime, the brahmana’s five-year-old dumb son sought various dishes by gestures. Seeing the dumb child, the compassionate Swami became very sad and shed tears of sympathy. He lamented, “Alas! How will this child be able to do kirtan of the Holy names of Shri Pathi (the Lord of Lakshmi Devi), the Ocean of mercy? Is not the chanting of the Holy Names the only panacea for men in this Kaliyuga who engage in varied sinful activities? Oh! This dumb boy will not be able to sing the Holy Names of Shri Hari. How will he attain spiritual well-being here and now?”
Divine Intervention
Becoming sad, Shri Bodhendra Swamigal got up from his seat, washed his hands, and went to the verandah of the house. The brahmana prostrated himself before the Swamigal with ardent devotion and tried to console him, saying that all beings of the world reap what they have sown in their previous births. After the swamigal left that place, the dumb boy eagerly took the remnants of his prasad.
The Miracle
Immediately, the boy gained transcendental knowledge and started dancing, singing the Holy names of “Rama” and “Krishna” with abiding devotion. Finding his son chanting the holy names, the brahmana was surprised and immensely happy. From that day, the boy rendered all possible service to the swamigal with affection and became blessed with spiritual well-being.
Moral of the Story
This story reminds us of a beautiful verse in Srimad Bhagavatam (6.3.31), which glorifies the potency of holy names:
tasmaat sankirtanam vishnor / jagan-mangalam amhasaam mahataam api kauravya / viddhy aikaantika-nishkrtam
“Sukadeva Gosvami continued: My dear King, the chanting of the holy name of the Lord is able to uproot even the reactions of the greatest sins. Therefore, the chanting of the sankirtana movement is the most auspicious activity in the entire universe. Please try to understand this so that others will take it seriously.”
Reflection
We should therefore pray to our beloved Spiritual master that we develop unflinching faith in chanting the holy names by understanding its unlimited glories. Although we may have been chanting for many years, we may not fully realize the value and potency of chanting. Chanting is the beginning of our spiritual life, and to remain on the path of devotional service, chanting is essential. It is what we need to do at the end of our lives as well.
Realizing the Importance of Chanting
Despite chanting for years, our faith in the holy names may still be weak. We may not even theoretically accept Lord Krishna’s existence, as we do not understand the temporary nature of this material world or the reality of life after death. This reflects our current situation.
The Role of Adi Sankaracharya
We often tend to decry the followers of Sankaracharya due to his teachings of impersonalism. However, Adi Sankaracharya composed many beautiful verses glorifying the Supreme Lord, such as Balamukundashtakam, Ranganathashtakam, Krishnaashtakam, and Jagannathashtakam. These verses wonderfully describe the various transcendental features of the Lord. Instead of decrying, we must understand the purpose of Adi Sankaracharya’s advent.
The Legacy of Shri Bodhendra Swamigal
In the disciplic succession of Adi Sankaracharya was the exalted acarya Shri Bodhendra Saraswati Swamigal, the 59th Sankaracharya of Kanchi Kamakoti Pitha. He was also known as Bhagavan Nama Bodhendra. His only aim was to propagate the Holy name of Hari everywhere.
Always Remember
We should just chant Nama Kirtan, and the Lord will take care of everything else.
Lessons to Be Learned
- The Power of the Holy Name:
- The story demonstrates the transformative power of chanting the Holy Names, which can bring about miraculous changes and bestow spiritual well-being.
- Compassion and Devotion:
- Shri Bodhendra Swamigal’s compassion for the dumb boy and his sadness at the thought of him being unable to chant shows the deep connection between compassion and true devotion.
- Faith and Miracles:
- The miraculous healing of the dumb boy highlights the importance of having faith in the Holy Names and the divine interventions that can result from such faith.
- Role of Prasad:
- The incident where the boy gains transcendental knowledge after consuming the prasad illustrates the sanctity and spiritual potency of prasad.
- Service to Devotees:
- The boy’s transformation into a devotee who serves the Swamigal with affection demonstrates the value of serving the Lord’s devotees.
- Inspiration from Spiritual Leaders:
- The story of Shri Bodhendra Swamigal serves as an inspiration to follow the path of devotion with sincerity and to propagate the Holy Names.
- Spiritual Joy:
- The story conveys that true spiritual joy and ecstasy come from sincere chanting and devotion to the Lord.
- Enduring Impact of Sadhana:
- The transformation of the boy underscores the enduring impact of consistent spiritual practices like Nama Kirtan on one’s life and consciousness.
- Overcoming Limitations:
- The boy’s ability to chant and dance after being dumb indicates that spiritual practices can help overcome even physical limitations and obstacles.
- Devotional Service:
- The ultimate goal of all spiritual practices, including chanting, is to engage in loving devotional service to the Lord and His devotees.
Always Remember
We should just chant Nama Kirtan, and the Lord will take care of everything else.
