Dr. Anil Kumar said - “Pujya Guruji we are often not sure whether what we do is in harmony with the Divine Plan. You often tell us that you are in our hearts all the time. But we cannot feel your Presence constantly.” Shri Nimishananda Guruji said - “Tonight Krishna Janmashtami (the festival celebrating the birth of Lord Krishna) begins. Krishna symbolises the fount of love and bliss. You know that Krishna was extremely fond of butter, He would slip into the houses of all the milkmaids and steal the butter that they had churned. This is symbolic. Butter comes from milk. But when we drink milk, we cannot taste the butter concealed in it. The milk has to be churned to yield butter. If we churn the milk of our mind with the churn of devotion constantly, then we obtain the butter called renunciation. When we melt this butter we get the ghee (clarified butter) called enlightenment. Then you can feel the Presence of divinity in your own heart. So increase your devotion and sadhana.”
Yad bhavam tad bhavati
After Shri Nimishananda Guruji’s discourse at the Sri Shirdi Sai Mandir in Malleswaram, a few devotees were gathered around Pujya Guruji at Dr Bhatt’s house where Prasada (dinner) had been arranged. An informal satsangh was going on. A devotee asked Pujya Guruji - “Pujya Guruji, how can we feel the presence of god within us?” Shri Nimishananda Guruji smiled and said - “God’s Grace can be felt in three ways - through the body, through the mind and through the Buddhi (intellect). When we begin to shed our desires and cravings, divine grace envelopes us. When you bathe everyday, feel that the waters of River Ganga are cascading over you, bathing god who is seated in your heart.
So whenever you bathe, you are performing an Abhisheka (sacred ceremonial bath). As you wear your clothes tell god - “I am putting on the mantle of Your Grace”. When you do this, his grace will protect you from all negativity, just as clothes protect you from the vagaries of the climate. Look upon everything that you use as “Prasada” from God. “Yad bhavam tad bhavati” - the feeling in our heart controls the way we perceive the world.
Grace will protect you from all negativity, just as clothes protect you from the vagaries of the climate
This article is taken from the book Wisdom Through the Eyes of Nimishananda by Nimishananda Guruji