Bhagwat katha and Manas gaan at Chitrakoot marks history

The gentle flow of Maa Mandakini, boats anchored at the Ram Ghaat, the inimitable presence of the Kamadgiri parvat, the silence and the calm all around marks one of the most holy places in our Bharat, Chitrakoot.

Bhagwat Bhagirathi flowed to the banks of Maa Mandakini (Maa Gange) during the days 2nd to the 10th of April, 2003. Bhagwat katha gaan on the tapasthali bhoomi of Shri Ram with the manas path gaan during the Chaitra Navratri at Chitrakoot marked history.

Pujya Bhaishri recited the Bhagwat in the morning session and sang the manas in the evening session. Members of the Vaishvik sanskruti Parivar flocked from all parts of the country, Delhi, Meerut, Benares, Allahabad, Ahmedabad, Rajkot, Porbandar, Mumbai, Sangli, Jalgaon, Kolkata and other cities to partake the divine nectar of both the Bhagwat and experiencing the bliss of manas gaan on the holy land of Chitrakoot. All present, including the people of Chitrakoot sat in divine bliss as they listened, cried, smiled, laughed, sang and danced drinking the pure amrit that flowed from Pujya Bhaishri’s shrimukh.

Pujya Bhaishri narrated the Bhagwat giving great emphasis to the importance of Bhakti. He said, ‘For kalikaal, kaliyug the simplest and easiest way to God realization is to sing His divine name. Even Tulisadasji has said in the manas “Ehi kalikaal na sadhan dooja, jog, jagya, jap, tap, vrat, puja.”It is very difficult to perform any of these above austerities. Yoga needs concentration and discipline, we do not have that. Yagya needs Brahmins who know all rituals perfectly but we don’t find such people anymore. Jap needs concentration and faith which we do not have. Tap needs tolerance and determination which too we do not have. Vrat, fasting is difficult. Puja needs faith and concentration too. We lack in all aspects hence it is best to do naam sankirtan. Sing in His glory, just sing. Bhakti will make your feelings and thoughts pure which will lead to pure action, pure character and a pure and divine life. Bhakti mein shuddhi hai.” Pujya Bhaishri also said that follow the footsteps of Ram and lead your life like him whilst retrospect on Krishna. Don’t imbibe what Krishna did. Simply become saral and God Himself will come to you.

The story of maakhan chori is symbolic to this philosophy. If you make your man, soft and pure like maakhan, God will come to you and take away, steal your man. God is partial to his devotees and gets bound by their love and devotion. No wonder when Draupadi called, Shri Krishna came, when Prahlad called Shri Narsigh Bhagwan came. He is already there and takes no time to come when called. It is we who take our time to call Him. We are late, not Him. He is already waiting, waiting to shower his kripa, his blessings on us. Call him with a pure man and He will come. You don’t need to go anywhere in search for Him. He is with us, all the time. God realization is simple. All we need to do is become simple, saral. That is difficult. To become simple is not easy.” Pujya Bhaishri smiled and thus continued the daily satsang with the celebrations of all the utsavs.

Pujya Bhaishri also visited the saints in Chitrakoot and went for darshans whenever possible. He visited Pujya Punjabi Bhagwan, Shri Rambhadracharyaji maharaj and Shri Ramashraydasji maharaj at their respective ashrams and Pujya Punjabi Bhagwan and Pujya Ramashraydasji maharaj even graced the katha.

Pujya Bhaishri did the parikrama of the Kamadgiri parvat on the very first day itself and went for other darshans too. Gupt Godavri, Spathik Shila, Ram darshan, Sati Ansuiya ashram, Hanuman dhara, Bharat koop and Ram Ghat. All darshans are truly divine. A nauka vihaar was also organized one night and Pujya Bhaishri and other devotees enjoyed under the starry night boating in the waters of Maa Mandakini.

Lord Ram spent 11 years and 27 days at Chitrakoot, his tap can be seen and felt even today, in the saints and people of Chitrakoot, at the darshans at all the places, in the marks of their footsteps on the rocks, in the gentle flow of Maa Mandakini. Simple and nice, they are actually living their lives of Truth. Whatever moments, days spent at the holy pilgrim of Chitrakoot were divine. Each darshan, katha, manas paath, all events and experiences were beautiful. All present carried this divinity as they left with only tears to offer to this tapasthali bhoomi of Chitrakoot.