Source : Madhuramurali English Edition
SAINT SKETCH – Himmat
Dasji
Srimad Bhagavatam says,
एवंव्रत: स्वप्रि यना
मकी र्त्या जा ता नुरा गो द्रुतचि त्त उच्चै: ।
हसत्यथो रो दि ति रौ
ति गा यत्युन्मा दवन्नृत्यति लो कबा ह्य: ॥
evaMvrata: svapriyanAmakIrtyA
jAtAnurAgO drutachitta
uchchai: |
hasatyathO rOditi rauti
gAyatyunmAdavannRtyati lOkabAhya:||
SB 11.2.40
When we start our spiritual
journey, we chant the divine names of Bhagavan with more
discipline but probably with
less focus or love. However, even if the chanting then begins to seem merely
mechanical, one should not stop chanting, for this discipline slowly brings in
the grace of Bhagavan and divine love flowers within. Once such divine love
flowers within, the devotee loses himself in the singing of divine names and
forgets the world around.
This was the state of our
sadhu Himmat Dasji too. He was lost in the joy of singing the divine names. Once
while he was on his way to have darshan of Shri Jugal Kishore, a few robbers
stopped him midway. Oblivious to his surroundings, Himmat Dasji was still
engaged in divine kirtan. Thinking he was ignoring them deliberately, the
angered robbers snatched the cymbals from the hands of Himmat Dasji. This
brought his mind down back to the world. Still holding the cymbals, the robbers
demanded, “Give us everything you have if you want to save yourself!”
Himmat Dasji replied, “You
already have my cymbals! I carry nothing else materially with me. But if you
insist that I give you all that I have, I can surely give you the
divine names of Bhagavan! For that is my true possession.”
This is the mark of a great
saint is it not? Devotees of the Lord deem nothing but the divine names as the
real treasure. But the robbers were not happy with this. They did not care for
anything spiritual. When they understood they could do nothing about it, they
angrily walked away with the cymbals of Himmat Dasji still in their hands.
Himmat Dasji smiled at that
and did not engage with them any further even for the sake of the cymbals. He
thought, “Krishna! Your will is supreme! If it pleases you that they have my
cymbals, so be it!” and continued his journey.
Suddenly he heard the
screaming of the robbers. Himmat Dasji rushed to see what had happened, and saw
that they had all lost their eyesight! The robbers realised the greatness of
Himmat Dasji and fell at his feet, begging him to save them. Himmat Dasji was
moved, both by their state and by the love of Bhagavan who protects His
devotees who are ever engaged in
chanting His divine names.
The highest spiritual
practice is chanting the divine names, is it not? When we engage in chanting
the divine names, not only do we have the remembrance of Bhagavan, but we also
have His very presence with us! Bhagavan Himself tells Sage Narada,
“I do not live in Vaikunta or the heart of Yogis. It is where my devotees
lovingly engage in chanting my divine names that I am always present.” Little
does one realise this initially in one’s spiritual journey. But as one
progresses spiritually, the Lord reveals His presence.
Himmat Dasji prayed to
Bhagavan for the well-being of the robbers. The grateful robbers got their
eyesight back and they humbly returned the cymbals too to Himmat Dasji.
