Suno! Suno! Sadhuji! – 2

The Company
“Oh! It was fun with Kamna, Mansa,Kanchana and all Ma!! Just imagine if we had not got the tickets to Mumbai! I would have missed all fun!” Kirtana was happy to see her daughter Sadhana jump in joy. They had been to a wedding of her cousin and it was indeed a family reunion!
Sadhana was excitedly talking about all that happened there at the function when she suddenly said, “Ma! How nice and happy our mind becomes in the company of relatives and our loved ones isn’t it?”
Kritana lovingly nodded and said, “It is true Sadhana. But have you ever had a better experience that you relished more than this?”
“Hmmm… let me think. Oh yes! I do remember our trip to Tirupati Balaji temple! Those Hills and the Lord Srinivasa out there brought out some inexplicable joy within me!”
“Sadhana! That was the joy born out of your quiet and peaceful mind.”
“Ma! Can we keep our mind ever in that state?”
“Sure! Why not!”
Sadhana triumphantly declared, “Oh then I shall keep my mind quiet and peaceful ever!”
Kirtana burst out laughing!
“Sadhana! You cannot command your mind! Mind does not obey orders. It has to be trained by giving it the proper company. Let me explain. Now, stand up.”
Sadhana stood up, her expression was a bit confused though!
“Now, sit down!”
Sadhana just sat down shaking her head , wondering what her mother meant by all this!
Kirtana continued, “Now Sadhana! Cry!”
“What?!” said Sadhana, “one can’t cry on command ma!! You must be joking!”
“That is the whole point dear! Emotions are not aroused by commands! The nature of the mind depends on the company it keeps. You are happy in the company of people who are happy and sad when people around us are all so. The moment we see a set of people mourning, tears trickle down our cheeks too, isn’t it? Similarly, our mind is at rest and peace, when it is in the company of the Divine. Such a company is called ‘Satsang’.”
“Oh! I understand. Ma! Can you tell me more about satsang?”
“The company of Sadhus/Mahatmas who are realized souls and are ever immersed in the joy of singing the Divine Names and glories of the Lord is Satsang. If, due to our circumstance, we are compelled to be away from such a company, the best shelter is the Divine Names of the Lord. Chalo! Sadhana! Let me sing a Kirtan of the great Queen and exemplary devotee of Lord Giridhari, Mira Bai. That would explain it all!!”
apne mandir me beit beit kar
gIta bhAgavata vAchUngI

hari guN gAvat nAchUngI mei
prabhu guN gAvat nAchUngI
“Mira Bai Sings- ‘I shall sit in the temple of my beloved Lord and read Srimad Bhagavat Gita and Srimad Bhagavata. I shall immerse myself in singing the Divine Names and plays of the Lord and dancing to its tunes! ’
Sadhana! Mira Bai mentions two of our main scriptures here. One is the voice of the Lord (Gita) and the other is verily the Lord Himself (Srimad Bhagavata)! It is as though she is asking us why go in search of company outside? We find the Lord Himself converse with all of His devotees in these two scriptures.
If we desire to be in the company of devotees, where can we find a greater devotee than Prince Dhruva, Child Prahlad, King Ambarisha and rest of the devotees? They all reside and converse in Srimad Bhagavata Mahapurana! And all these devotees showed that Lord is easily pleased and attained by Namasankirtan (Singing the Divine Names of the Lord). When we read these great scriptures and find all the great devotees glorify the Lord and His Divine Names, the Lord’s grace descends on us and the desire to sing His glories sprouts in our hearts too. So Mira Bai after reading the scriptures and gathering its essence says she shall dance and sing the glories of the Lord.”
jnAna dhyAna kI gatatI bAndh kar
hari jan sang mei lAgUngI (hari guN..)
“Sadhana! People are generally carried away by pomp and show. Many are they who believe that only people who are dumb and incapable of doing any meditation take to the path of Namasankirtan and be in the company of such saints who propagate this glorious path. Less do they realize the greatness of this path! Mira Bai says – ‘I shall bundle and throw off all knowledge seeking efforts and meditation, the moment I find great Sadhus, who are Sri Hari’s beloved. I would rather just be in their company and participate in the Hari Kirtan that they shall be engaged in!’
Tell me Sadhana! If there were two paths leading to the same goal and one of it required much less effort and strain than the other, which would you choose?”
“I shall of course choose the easier and safer one!”
“That’s exactly what Mira Bai also says she would choose! By singing the Divine Names of the Lord, one naturally develops great love for the Lord. So she further sings that by being in the company of such great men who are ever immersed in doing Namasankirtan and by singing the glories herself, she shall establish herself ever in the blissful love of her Lord Giridhari!
mIrA ke prabhu giridharnAgar
sadA premarasa chAkUngI (hari guN)
Sadhana! Mira Bai beautifully shows us that a satsang is indeed being with the Lord and His devotees by reading the great scriptures. It is the company of great devotees of the Lord who ever sing His names and glories. It is to be in the company of His names and glories! And when we are in such a company, we develop loving devotion towards the Lord which keeps us ever in a quiet and blissful state of mind. Want to sing along with me?”
“Sure!”

hari guN gAvat nAchUngI
mei prabhu guN gAvat nAchUngI
apne mandir me beit beit kar
gIta bhAgavata vAchUngI (hari guN)
jnAna dhyAna kI gatatI bAndh kar
hari jan sang mei lAgUngI (hari guN)
mIrA ke prabhu giridharnAgar
sadA premarasa chAkUngI (hari guN)