Prahlad
A lad who faced the anger of his mighty father for the sake of his faith i in God i. Poison, sword and fire could not frighten him. And the Lord Himself responded to the devotion i of the five-year old boy and came to the earth.
... Narahari was pleased ... and said, "Child Prahlada, I am pleased with your devotion; ask for whatever you desire."
He bowed and said to the Lord, "I am devoted to God. May this devotion be firmly rooted in my heart! May no other desire appear there !" Narahari was very much pleased with this prayer of Prahlada, the greatest of God's devotees. He said, "I grant your prayer, child. Rule over this kingdom for some time. Live happily. Do only what is right and just, so that all men will approve. At the end you will come to me." So he granted a boon.
For the full story see Prahlada
Sant Tukaram
Even God i does not know the value of His Name. Even God is not aware of the power of His Name. How can He be?
Sant Tukaram was a 17th century poet saint, a devotee i of Krishna, considered to be "the very peak of that centuries long outbreak of love for God".
Here are some tenets of his message taken from wikipedia
- Make God the Center of your life. Walk the Path of Love. Serve mankind and thus see God in all.
- Cast away one's clothes of traditions that one has inherited for often those can bind you from growing in Love of God.
- He did not favour elaborate rituals, displays of asceticism and preoccupation with austerities. He would say - even dogs come in saffron colour and bears have matted fur. If living in caves is being spiritual then rats who inhabit caves must be doing sadhana i.
- He was opposed to the acquiring of siddhis as these were obstructions to authentic sadhana.
- Faith in Providence was crucial to sadhana. He believed that He who facilitates the milk from the breast for the infant and the One who permits the bursting of foliage from the branches will certainly take care of me.
- Most important of all was the Privilege of being a Bhakta and to exercise in life, nama japa. He would say that even God does not know the value of His Name. Even God is not aware of the power of His Name. How can He be? The lotus cannot smell its own fragrance, only the bee can. The cow knows not the sweetness of its milk, only the calf can. The oyster knows not the value of its pearl, only the jeweler can.
Tukaram's final day is well documented by eye witness accounts. He informed his wife early in the day
about going to Vaikuntha (the Divine Abode). His wife laughed at him. He went up the hillock and waited for Vithoba. By that time, news had spread around Dehu and people had gathered around the hillock, waiting for the Divine event. As per eye witness accounts, a large vehicle emerged from the skies and Vithoba emerged from the flying plane. Eyewitnesses rushed to Tukaram's home and informed his wife that Tukaram was on his way to 'Vaikuntha' - the Abode of God. His wife ran toward the hills, only to see him take off in the Viman (Flying plane). To this day, devotees gather at the hillock and sing his praises.
Please see wikipedia
Gauranga
O Lord, I ask not for wealth or followers, or for poetic genius. May my motiveless devotion i to Thee continue in me whenever I take birth.
Gauranga was a 16th century devoteei of Radha and Krishna, whose inspiring story may be found here
Hari's Name should always be chanted by him who must be humbler than a blade of grass (which is trodden upon); who is more patient, forbearing and charitable than a tree (which does not cry out even when it is cut down, and which does not beg for water even when scorched to death, but on the contrary, offers its treasure to whosoever seeks it, bears the sun and rain itself but protects those who take shelter under it from rain and sunshine); who, however worthy of esteem should, instead of claiming respect for himself, give respect to all (from a sense of God i's immanency in all beings). He who thus takes Krishna's Name gets Krishna-prem (love).
