There is a beautiful story about a devotee (let’s call him “Ramdas”) whose heart was pure, guileless, and filled with devotion for God. Every morning at the end of his meditation, he would pray, “Lord, whenever You call me to forsake this world, at that moment I will come.”
Though God never called, Ramdas still offered this heartfelt prayer daily. Time passed, and he and his wife became filled with great joy, awaiting the birth of their first child. But such is the nature of maya’s alternating waves of joy and sorrow that his happiness turned to grief when his wife died in childbirth.
As he took the helpless baby in his arms, Ramdas was filled with parental love and the desire to protect this tiny, motherless child. Just at that moment, God broke His silence and called to him: “Ramdas, now is the time for you to leave all and come to Me.”
With eyes filled with tears, Ramdas replied, “Lord, You know that You are my heart’s first love, and I will come, but I also have a human heart. Please reassure me that this child will be cared for.”
In response, God said to him, “Place the infant in a basket, and leave it along the road outside the village. Then wait behind a tree, and see what happens.”
Ramdas did as God instructed him, and after a while he heard the sound of many horses approaching. It was the queen of the realm and her entourage en route to a nearby city. At the sound of the horses, the infant awoke from his slumber and began to cry.
Hearing the wailing, the queen stopped the entourage and instructed one of her attendants to bring the baby to her. Ramdas watched in amazement as the queen took his child in her arms, and said, “I will raise this poor, abandoned baby as my own.”
He dedicated the rest of his life to seeking God.
His heart reassured, Ramdas quietly walked away into the forest to dedicate the rest of his life to God alone.
This story has always touched me for two reasons. First, it’s a beautiful demonstration of God’s understanding and acceptance of our human needs. Second, Ramdas’s freedom to come when God called gives us all reason to ask ourselves, “What is holding me back?”
A friend of ours recently shared a concept that had greatly helped her. She’d become aware of her many “unacknowledged resistances”: all the little defenses, self-justifications, and attachments that we allow to remain in our heart. To find the freedom to come to God when He calls, we need to acknowledge and weed out all the “resistances” of ego.
Yoganandaji said, “When will you find God? When all your desires for other things are finished. When you realize that the only thing worth having is Him. When every thought, every feeling is drenched with the love of God.”
With joy in the journey,
Nayaswami Devi
28 Comments
If only all mankind would learn the love of God and be compassionate with fellow living beings,would this not be a beautiful world to live in ? Why is there such hatred in peoples minds and hearts that was not there at birth? Why do we engage in violence purely in religions name? Why do man feel he is superior?This is a beautiful world and we are but custodians. Let there be peace in every person. Let us learn to love one another and all living creatures
Dear Nayaswami Devi Ji,
Thank you for the letter. It brings such a joy to read the story of Ramadas :)
I remember here one of my fav line from Swamiji’s song :
“The dancers will pass, the singing must end : I welcome the darkness ,with you for my friend”
Aum…Prem
Beautiful#
My Dearest Devi,
Thank you so very much for this holy message! As the journey progresses, I become more and yet more absorbed in the Divine Grace that lives and breaths in not just me, but all of us! It seems that this all I feel and see now!
What a wonderful Dharshan visit we had before you left for Mother India! Thank you, and my deepest blessings go with you!
Love,
Sister Brindey
Dearest Brindey,
How nice to hear from you and to read about how your journey to freedom is proceeding. May you increasingly feel surrounded and absorbed in God’s light. Till we meet again.
With love,
Beautiful and inspiring.
Thank you. I needed this.
Thank You! Beautiful awakening call and a REMINDER. Thank you,once again
Thank you, this is so beautiful and very true.
We must only want Him, seek Him, need Him, love Him… God alone!
Love and Light to all!
Pranam Ji’s
Wonderful message, Love God alone ,Desires get Redeemed in the Divine Love of God.
Thanks for Keeping us in the Path.
With Gratitude
R sundararajan
So very touching this story, dear Devi. Thank you for writing it in such a sensitive, heartclose way. I hope that when God calls me, I will be able to leave all and go to Him. Jai Guru , with love, Mariana
This is a beautiful story. Doesn’t it remind you of The Ten Commandments and Moses story in the Bible?
Beautiful Devi. Just what I needed this morning!
So Cool! I heard a very similar story last night by a meditation friend. Thank you for sharing.
Dear Devi,
What a beautiful story. My eyes tiered down while reading it. As a mother of 4 and a grandma of almost 7 children ( my youngest daughter is expecting a little girl) I shared Randad ‘s predicaments. I pray to be able to say without hesitation and devotion the same prayer and be able to leave everything behind when the time comes to go home. Thanks so much for sharing.
Blessings,
Blanca
Thank you for this lovely message..
What a wonderful story. Although I have heard it many times, it never losses it’s power to want to be able to be that kind of devotee. I keep trying to give it all up, but as the story says; the world has such a strong pull. My daily prayer is “with God’s help”.
It is nice to receive these communications, makes you seem closer than India, but then in spirit you are.
Blessings, Gloria
Thank you! My resistances are many! Lord help me weed them out!
Perfectly timed-so relevant to very thoughts I’ve been having, but that’s no coincidence. God gave me my answers. Aum.
Superb article. It is fully pervaded with fervour and gentleness.
Thanks for the post.
This story really gives me something to think about. I have been thinking a lot about where I am at this time in my life. Having some physical problems at this time of my life. Am I turning it all over to God?
Your messages are wonderful reminders.
Dear Yvonne,
Hope your return to God health and happiness.
With love,
Devi
Thank you for the reminder!
Seek and desire God Alone!!!
Joy to you!
~~~Peace, Josette
Such a beautiful story. Faith, it’s all about having faith & trusting in the Lord
Dear Devi Ji,
Such a beautiful story with a simple, yet powerful message! I was also reminded of another story of Leo Tolstoy – What men live by…. Thanks for sharing! Pranams?
Gayathri (Ananda Chennai)
What a beautiful story… something I’d like to remember every day of my life.
Beautiful story.
To my mind it means do your best and leave everything to God”
I remember someone’s remarks, ” Do your days work the best and let the whole world sink”
Kanwal
Thank you very much dear Devi. As a householder I many times (ungratefully) lament having family duties that keep me away from spiritual activities. Thank you for reminding me to keep my priority straight, God will see to my household responsibilities when I have the courage to seek him wholeheartedly.
In Master’s Love,
Eloisa