( Part 10 ) Musings of a Soul Returning to Its Eternal Home.
Appended 👇 below
“The King of Heaven Waited…
Not to be Welcomed , but to welcome
“The one who has surrendered to Sriman Narayana becomes worthy of honour even from those whom the world worships.”
As I walked beside the compassionate Lord of the Cosmic Waters, Varuṇa, the endless sapphire oceans slowly gave way to a realm unlike anything I had ever imagined.
Before us stretched a celestial city built entirely of brilliance.
Its avenues shimmered like molten gold.
Palaces glowed with unimaginable radiance.
The fragrance of divine flowers filled the atmosphere.
The music of Gandharvas floated effortlessly through the skies.
Every breeze seemed to chant, the holy name that soothed the soul in trance
“Narayana… Narayana…””Narayana… Narayana…””Narayana…”Narayana… Narayana…” Narayana…””Narayana… Narayana…””Narayana… Narayana…”
Then I understood…
This was Indra Loka…..
The abode sought by countless performers of sacrifices.
The destination is praised in the Vedas.
The heaven desired by kings and ascetics alike.
Yet today…
its king was waiting…for Lords devotee.As I approached, Lord Indra himself stepped forward from his magnificent throne.
His dazzling crown reflected the brilliance of countless suns.
Around him stood the Devas, Maruts, Gandharvas and celestial attendants.
But none looked at their own king.
Every eye rested upon the tiny soul being escorted through Archiradhi Margam.
To my utter astonishment…
Indra folded both his hands.
With deep humility he bowed.
There was no pride.
No trace of royal authority.
Only reverence.
His voice carried extraordinary sweetness.
“Blessed indeed are you.”
“We guarded the worlds by
………. His command.………..
“You surrendered completely to Him.”
“Today you go where even we long to behold.”
At that moment my heart trembled.
How strange is divine truth.
On earth…
human beings struggle for positions…
wealth…recognition…titles…honour…
Yet here…
the ruler of heaven himself stood with folded hands before a surrendered servant of Supreme Lord Sriman Narayana.
Suddenly I remembered a lesson life had quietly taught me. Many devotees imagine that spiritual progress means becoming greater than others.
But Archiradhi teaches exactly the opposite.
Every realm strips away another layer of the ego.
Fire removed fear.
Day removed darkness
The Bright Fortnight revealed increasing clarity.
Uttarayana lifted aspiration upward.
The Year showed the Lord’s perfect timing.
Vāyu removed all limitations.
Surya illuminated divine knowledge.
Chandra softened the heart.
Varuṇa washed away subtle impurities.
Now..
Indra revealed the greatest secret of all.
The closer one comes to Narayana, the smaller one’s own ego becomes.
Humility is not a weakness.
It is the fragrance of those who have seen the Lord.
As I kept looking at all the universal transcendental beauty from where Indira appeared , another memory from my earthly pilgrimage filled my heart with focus on Indra
The Divya Prabandham verses I recited every morning during Thiruvārādhana suddenly echoed within me.
“இந்திரனோடு பிரமன்…” (Indiranōdu Piraman…) sung by Periyāzhvār.
“அட்டு கூவி…”
How many thousands of times had I recited these pasurams?
Now
I was no longer merely chanting them.
I was walking through the very worlds they praised.
My mind travelled to Govardhan.
The sacred hill where every stone breathes the name Govinda.
During my pilgrimage I circumambulated Giriraj, chanting the Divine Names continuously.
Sometimes singing kirtans…
sometimes silently repeating the Guru Mantra and Dwayam …
sometimes offering dandavat pranams to every devotee who walked that sacred path.
Every step became a prayer.
Every grain of Govardhan’s dust felt holier than my own life.
There… a beautiful truth unfolded within my heart.People often think the Govardhan pastime is about Krishna defeating Indra.
There is a beautiful truth unfolded within my heart. People often think the Govardhan pastime is about Krishna defeating Indra. It is about Krishna rescuing Indra from Indra’s own ego.
Indra is not the villain.
Indra lives inside every one of us.
Whenever we begin believing…
“My position…”
“My service…”
“My knowledge…”
“My achievements…”
“My recognition…”
…the same subtle pride begins to grow.
Power itself is never the problem.
Forgetfulness is……..The moment a gift begins to feel like our possession… gratitude quietly leaves…and ego silently enters. That was Indra’s lesson.
How compassionate is our Lord!
When Indra sent devastating rains upon Vraja, Krishna did not answer with greater force.
He simply lifted Govardhan Hill.
No anger…
No retaliation…
No display of superiority….
Only silent protection….
Only compassion……
That day I realised something that has remained with me ever since…
Whenever I feel disturbed because someone failed to recognise my efforts…
whenever my mind wants to “flood” a situation with hurt or anger…
I remember Sri Govardhan.
The flood outside was only a reflection of the flood within. Krishna teaches us not to create a greater storm….He teaches us to become like Govardhan…
steady…
humble…
supportive…uu
without announcing our greatness.
True refuge is rarely spectacular.
It is found in quiet disciplines…
daily Thiruvārādhana…
chanting Divya Prabandham…
serving Lordships devotees…
reciting His holy names…
the unnoticed acts that quietly sustain our devotion…..
As these thoughts flowed through my heart, I remembered yet another beautiful connection. How many Divya Desams preserve Indra’s memory! When we visited these Divya desams the question was Indra … always protected by the Supreme Lord for everything .
Thiruvelliyangudi with Indra Theertham.
Thiruppiruthi (Joshimath) in the Himalayas with Indra Theertham and Govardhana Vimanam.Thrikkakara Vamanamoorthy Divya Desam, where our Lord restored Indra’s kingdom after blessing Mahabali.
Even during Samudra Manthana, our compassionate Lord first became Kurma, silently bearing the mountain upon His own back. Later He became Mohini, ensuring that Amrita reached the Devas.
Again…
He was protecting Indra.
Not because Indra never failed…
but because His mercy is always greater than our failures.
Then came the most moving moment of all during Goverdhan leelai .After the storm ended…Indra descended from heaven upon majestic Airavata.
There was no pride now.Only gratitude.
Airavata brought the celestial waters of the Ganga.Surabhi herself arrived.
Together they performed the divine Abhishekam.And Indra declared before the worlds:
“You are Govinda.”
Protector of cows.
Protector of the humble.
Protector of those who seek refuge.
That name…Govinda… entered deep in my mind body soul at earthern plane and now entered my heart more deeply than ever before.
Perhaps that longing reached Him.
Barely a month later, grace arrived in a way I could never have imagined.
A revered devotee friend called me from Vrindavan. “Swamy,” he said joyfully, “for nearly six months I have been performing Dandavat Parikrama around Sri Giriraj. Today, on this sacred Pournami, I remembered you.”Even hearing those words, I mentally prostrated before Giriraj.
Then he continued., After completing my parikrama and offering obeisances at Radha Kund, a saint approached me unexpectedly. He lovingly placed two Govardhan Silas in my hands.”
“I asked him, ‘Maharaj, why have you given me two?'”
The saint smiled.’One devotee is waiting for Him. Go. He Himself has chosen His home.’
A few days later…
Our beloved Sri Sri Giriraj arrived at our Thiruvengadam altar. Today He joyfully rests beside our sacred Saligrama Silas.
Every morning, when I behold Him during Thiruvārādhana, tears still arise.
How mysterious is His compassion.
We think we are searching for Him.
But all along..
He was searching for us.
As a mark of love and deep gratitude we carry out dear Sri Sri Giriraj with Godha devi every year to Vrindavan dhaan and perform Goverdhan parikrama reciting Sri Vishnu Sahasranamam and Thiruppavai….
Indra’s greatest victory was not regaining heaven.It was recovering humility.
The greatest enemy of a devotee is not another person.It is the unnoticed whisper within
“I accomplished this.”
The moment that whisper disappears…
the Lord quietly whispers back…
“Become merely My instrument.” (Nimitta-mātram bhava.)
And from that moment onward…
every action becomes kainkaryam.
Not mine. Always His……..
Tomorrow…
Beyond the splendour of heaven itself…
awaits Prajāpati Loka…the final realm before the soul leaves the material universe forever.
The boundary between Leela Vibhuti and eternity is now very near.
The journey home has truly begun.
Srimathey Ramanujaya namah 🙏
Adiyen Ramanuja dasan 🙏
Photos Courtesy Google images
